On the day of his new album’s release, Zayn Malik shared that he was in the hospital and “unexpectedly recovering” after a health scare.

Posting a photo of himself lying back in a hospital gown with monitors and an IV attached to his body, the singer wrote Friday (April 17) on his Instagram Story, “To my fans – Thank you to all of you for your love & support now & always.”

“Been a long week and am still unexpectedly recovering,” he continued. “Heartbroken that I can’t see you all this week, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding. Thank you to all the incredible hospital staff of Drs, nurses, cardiologist, management, admin and everyone who had helped along the way and continue to. You are all legends!”

Billboard has reached out to Malik’s reps for comment.

The news comes on the same day Konnakol — his first full-length since 2024’s Room Under the Stairs — arrived on streaming services. It marks his fifth studio album since parting ways with One Direction in 2015.

“Five solo albums now — I was just buzzing that I got to do the first one after [leaving] the band, [and] people seemed to care,” he said on Call Her Daddy in February. “I’m really proud of the progression and just the development and understanding of myself through my music.”

Malik’s previous four albums all charted on the Billboard 200, with debut Mind of Mine reaching No. 1 on the tally in 2016.

This week, Edgehill’s single “Doubletake” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, marking the band’s first charting single. The milestone is significant for both the band and its label, Severance Records, which launched in 2023 as a joint venture with Big Loud. In addition to Edgehill’s success, Severance’s inaugural signing, Dexter and The Moonrocks, hit a new peak on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, rising to No. 51 with its single “Freakin’ Out.”

And these twin successes land Severance Records president Steve “Stevo” Robertson the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, Robertson — who previously worked for 25 years at Atlantic Records, where he signed and helped launch the careers of Paramore, Shinedown, A Day To Remember and Rainbow Kitten Surprise — discusses how the label achieved the dual chart feats, and what makes its partnership with Big Loud Rock a success.

This week, Edgehill landed its first-ever No. 1 on a Billboard chart, as its single “Doubletake” reaches No. 1 on Alternative Airplay. What key decision(s) did you make to help make that happen? 

I approach these decisions from an A&R perspective, so when this very new, unknown band that we had just signed started talking about releasing a project, I stated the obvious: “Well, start turning in truly great songs, and we’ll talk about it.”  They got to work and started writing really compelling music, but I’m listening for the big ones. After a while came “Doubletake,” and it just sounded like an awesome single and definitely a hit. So many things have changed in our business, but a hit still sounds like a hit. We put it out, it reacted, and we decided to send it to our friends like [Jeff] Regan at Alt Nation, and it was embraced by all of Alternative radio soon after.

The band just wrapped up an expansive club tour. How has their touring strategy helped them in other areas, including this airplay success after more than half a year on the chart?

Edgehill has a great manager (Chris Georggin) and agent (Ron Opaleski) who understood the value of booking intimate house shows early on with a young indie rock band like this, right around the time the All-American Rejects started going viral and breathed new life into the house show concept. I think the buzz and the content coming from those early Edgehill house shows went a long way.

What was your physical and merch strategy with the album’s release, especially as it’s the band’s debut? 

As more songs were being written for whatever this project was going to be, they mentioned in one of our music meetings that they had this new song called “Ode To The Greyhouse,” and somebody in the room immediately said, “That sounds like a project.” We all just rallied around that concept of this house, where the music was born, and all of the analog, physical things you could do with that. So, we thought, “What if the grey house has a landline with an answering machine where fans can leave messages?”  That became one of many tangible activations we built on with the whole grey house world-building. The album cover is an original painting of the actual grey house where the band wrote the album. Even the sound of the album is very analog and not polished, which was the band’s vision from the beginning.

You launched Severance Records in 2023, and your inaugural signing, Dexter and The Moonrocks, just cracked the Hot 100 for the first time, with “Freakin’ Out” reaching No. 51 this week. How have you helped the band grow over that time?

I have always believed Dexter could be the biggest band in the world, and I would tell that to anyone who would listen. I became a fan when I was still A&R at Atlantic Records, and when I left there, I chose the absolute greatest partners possible in Big Loud Rock. Seth England and Joey Moi have such passion for rock music and artist development. All of the biggest artists in our collective careers didn’t have a lot going on when we signed them. We just lock arms and believe. The biggest thing we’ve done to help Dexter grow is listen to them and lean in when asked, and get outta the way when they need to do it their way. James Tuffs is one of the greatest singers in rock music right now, and the band absolutely rips live. And we have to mention an absolute weapon in the band, Fox: along with being an awesome drummer, he understands internet culture better than anyone, as evidenced by the worldwide explosion of “Freakin’ Out”.

What specific decisions has the team made to support these songs in these moments?

I’ve got to give absolute props to Joey Moi, who made the courageous decision to completely reinvent Big Loud Rock into what a modern record label needs to be successful, and that you must behave like a digital agency with a dedicated strategy to monitor and react on the heels of engagement. No other label has a marketing machine like Big Loud Rock. 

What’s next for these bands, and for the future of the label? 

We’ve talked about Dexter and The Moonrocks and Edgehill, but we must talk about Dogpark! In my world of scouting and A&R, people ask what I’m looking and listening for, and the answer is always the same: vocals. Great bands need truly great, signature singers, and Dogpark has one in Eamon Mo. This NYC band hit me hard and fit my vision for Severance Records perfectly. The new songs they are writing are next level! You will hear incredible new Dogpark songs this year. Also, hot tip from Severance: Look out for Hendrix Frankenreiter. 

All seven members of BTS play an important part in the band’s dynamic, including j-hope — who opened up about what he thinks his “role” is in the group.

While speaking to Rolling Stone in a one-on-one interview posted Friday (April 17) as part of BTS’ cover-story package, the K-pop performer addressed how bandmate RM — who is the official designated leader of the group — has referred to j-hope as a reliable co-leader at times. “I just do what I can,” j-hope told the publication, disagreeing with the notion that it’s a “burden” to be a leader.

“I think that’s my role on the team,” he continued. “And, well, I don’t think of it as a requirement. It just comes naturally … Should I even call it that? It feels weird to call it a ‘role.’ But all I can do is take it in stride and do what I can for the other members.”

Each of the bandmates took part in solo interviews with the publication, as well as sat together for a full-group conversation. The Bangtan Boys are currently on their third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with new album ARIRANG, which anchors the band’s ongoing global stadium tour.

Leading up to the LP’s release in late March, the pressure was on for BTS to finally return after years apart as the members served in the South Korean military. When asked about how the band easily could’ve chosen not to reunite, having already secured historic success leading up to the break, j-hope told Rolling Stone, “Personally, I’m very affected by the people around me, so I have to think about whether I can handle the emotional effect my decisions will have on so many others.”

“I struggled with that,” he added. “In the end, I felt that keeping the flame burning is what I truly want, and the choice that feels most authentically me.”

Watch j-hope’s full interview above.

Israeli producer Mita Gami brought his signature brand of sexy, funky, stylish house music to the spring 2026 edition of CRSSD festival in San Diego, Calif., on March 14.

Playing the festival’s Palms stage, the Maccabi House label cofounder delivered a 90-minute set that wasted no time getting into it, with Gami immediately tearing through stylish, high-energy tracks from producers including Fran Martinez, Millero 7 Alt Control and Oskar Guerrero. Also listen closely for bits of Prince’s “Sexy M. F.,” The Mama & The Papas’ “California Dreamin’” and Gami’s own remix of Rüfüs Du Sol’s “Lately,” all woven into the grooves.

“The buzz around CRSSD was overwhelming and I’m happy to be sharing it here for you all for a quick moment!” Gami tells Billboard. “That California energy is unmatched.”

Gami’s CRSSD Spring 2026 appearance happened amid a run that included dates at Brooklyn Paramount and EDC Mexico, with the artist’s upcoming tour schedule including appearances across Europe, a Maccabi SF show with his frequent collaborator and Maccabi House cofounder Adam Ten and another Maccabi House show in New York’s Central Park on July 25. Gami also has a run of Ibiza dates lined up for the 2026 season at island clubs including Pacha and DC10, along with the Ibiza edition of the global-trotting Mayan Warrior party.

The CRSSD spring 2026 lineup also included Polo & Pan, Deborah De Luca, Vintage Culture, Tycho, Chris Lake, Tokimonsta and many others. The biannaul festival has been a mainstay on the Southern California festival circuit since launching in 2014.

Live Nation, SiriusXM, Symphonic Distribution, Music Business Association, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Publishing and more have been named standout companies for women in music.

The latest edition of WIM Best Places To Work — the study conducted by nonprofit organization Women in Music in partnership with company reviews platform InHerSight — also credited Ticketmaster, Spotify, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Loeb & Loeb, Nettwerk Music Group, The Mechanical Licensing Collective, The Orchard, A2IM, The Syndicate, The Recording Academy and Bright Antenna Records for excelling in workplace inclusivity and employee satisfaction.

“We know that statistically, women in workplace leadership enhance financial performance and drive innovation, but they remain underrepresented,” said Women in Music president Nicole Barsalona. “This year, we’re excited to highlight companies that are working to fix a system that too often fails to create a culture where women can thrive. Companies like Live Nation and The Recording Academy had high response rates, demonstrating openness and commitment to transparency and accountability, increasingly rare and commendable these days.”

“This recognition reflects the culture Live Nation Women is committed to helping build every day,” said Live Nation Women president and chief strategy officer Ali Harnell. “One that supports women at every stage of their lives and careers so they can grow, lead, and drive impact across industry.”

Big Picture Media, Music Business Association, Bright Antenna Records, The Orchard and A2IM all came in with perfect scores for equal opportunities for women and men. Meanwhile, Big Picture Media, Bright Antenna Records, Music Business Association, The Orchard and A2IM all had perfect scores in women in leadership. The top companies for salary satisfaction were SiriusXM, Music Business Association and Bright Antenna Records.

“As an independent company built from the ground up, this recognition is especially meaningful,” said Symphonic founder and CEO Jorge Brea. “From day one, our focus has been on people, creating a culture where our team feels supported, valued, and empowered to grow. That foundation has allowed us to build a global company without losing the human touch that got us here.”

Despite the individual company accolades, persistent disparities continue to plague women in the workplace. The survey found that nearly half of women say they would not recommend their workplace, and 45% of women believe company support for women has declined. More than 70% of women plan to start or continue looking for a new job in 2026 due to better-paying opportunities.

“The past year has had a devastating impact on women’s careers. Women have left the workforce in droves, and the areas where they are currently thriving like healthcare and education are often undervalued and underpaid,” said InHerSight co-founder and CEO Ursula Mead. “Meanwhile, many companies choose to remain silent, quietly stepping back from or dismantling initiatives that support women’s advancement — advancement that has historically made our workplaces more innovative, creative, and profitable. That’s why the transparency we’ve seen in this year’s Women in Music® campaign is so encouraging at a time like this.”

The WIM Best Places to Work survey is conducted on an opt-in basis at 185 companies. More than 6,875 recipients replied to the survey that was first conducted in 2025. The survey inquired about management opportunities, flexible work hours, maternity and adoptive leave, employer responsiveness and other factors for women.

Big Picture Media, Bright Antenna Records, Music Business Association, SAG-AFTRA and The Syndicate scored perfectly on the company’s sense of belonging, with Universal Music Group, Live Nation, The Recording Academy, The Orchard, Concord, Spotify, The MLC, Kobalt, Nettwerk and more receiving high marks in the category.

“Being recognized by the 2026 Women in Music Best Places to Work list — in categories such as, Women in Leadership and Sense of Belonging — is a true honor and a testament to the intentional, people-first culture we’ve built at the Recording Academy,” said Recording Academy chief people and culture officer Shonda Grant. “We believe that when our team feels seen, supported, and empowered, they do their best work on behalf of music creators everywhere.”

Women in Music is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, unaffiliated with Billboard, founded in 1985 to educate, empower and advance women in the music industry. WIM hosts year-round educational and career development programming in chapter markets around the world, with equity-focused initiatives that include WIM Safe(r) Spaces, the WIM Workplace Initiative, the WIM Mentorship Program and the WIM Executive Internship Program. To become a charitable partner or to make a donation, go to womeninmusic.org.