Johnny Marr is standing behind Kneecap, even as some are calling for the Irish band to be censored at Glastonbury in light of their past politically charged concerts and recent legal trouble.

In a statement posted to Instagram on Monday (June 16), the former Smiths guitarist wrote that he feels it’s important to make his “own position clear” after “learning that calls have been made for Kneecap to be censored during their Glastonbury set.”

“I’ve played Glastonbury many times and the festival has always had a political aspect,” he continued. “It was founded as a place of free expression and political activism and it’s a fact that I agreed to play there with the Smiths in 1984 purely because to do so at the time was a political act.

“Oppression fears artistic expression,” Marr added. “I respect all musicians who use their platform to speak out against injustice, who promote compassion and equality and give voice to the voiceless. I stand with my audience and fellow musicians who call for an immediate end to the atrocities and a free Palestine.”

The post comes about a week and a half after the BBC confirmed that it would not remove Kneecap from its Glastonbury lineup. The hip-hop trio will perform at the festival as planned on June 28, despite concerns over member Mo Chara recently being charged with a terrorism offense by London police.

Born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Mo Chara was charged in May for allegedly showing support for militant organizations Hamas and Hezbollah — both of which are defined as terror groups by U.K. law — in newly surfaced videos from a past concert. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday (June 18).

Kneecap has argued that the video was taken out of context, and in a statement posted in May, the bandmates slammed the terrorism charge as a “carnival of distraction” from what they see as the real issue at hand: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.”

Even so, Kneecap was recently removed from Scotland’s July music festival TRNSMT, with organizers citing safety concerns. Mo Chara’s terrorism charge is just the latest controversy the band has faced in recent months, with Kneecap also facing backlash for displaying pro-Palestine messaging during its Coachella set and for allegedly calling for the death of British Parliament members at a concert. The trio apologized for the latter in April, denying any intention of inciting “violence against any MP or individual.”

See Marr’s full statement below.

Nashville music industry executive Mike Borchetta died on Saturday (June 14) at age 84, Billboard has confirmed. The news was first reported by Country Aircheck.

Borchetta served as vp of promotion at Curb Records from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, and also worked at labels including Broken Bow, Capitol, RCA, Mercury and Rebel Engine. Along the way, he promoted music for numerous country and pop artists, including 29-time Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper Tim McGraw (Borchetta was key in McGraw’s signing with Curb Records), Hal Ketchum, The Beach Boys, Wayne Newton, Glen Campbell, The Four Seasons and Dusty Springfield. He also served as president at Lofton Creek Records, helping propel Heartland’s song “I Loved Her First” to No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart in 2006.

In an Instagram post, McGraw shared, “I am saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary music executive, Mike Borchetta. I came to Nashville the day my hero Keith Whitley died — on a Greyhound bus with only the clothes on my back, a guitar and a big dream. About as green as they come. I was able to get a meeting with Mike while he was working at Curb Records. He pretty much said we are signing you on the spot. I will be forever grateful for his belief in me. Gonna miss seein’ ya at my shows but I know you will be looking down with a smile. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Rest in peace my friend.”

Beyond music, Borchetta and his wife Martha also raised and trained thoroughbreds.

Several of Borchetta’s children followed in his footsteps, forging their own successful music industry careers, including Big Machine Label Group CEO/chairman/founder Scott Borchetta (known for working with artists including Taylor Swift, McGraw, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line). Another son, Chris Borchetta, has worked at several labels, including Big Machine, Lofton Creek, Star Farm and Nine North, and launched an eponymous promotions and marketing company. Adelle Borchetta, has worked as director of radio promotion and marketing at Nine North Records, Turnpike Music and Edgehill Music and also launched an eponymous promotions and marketing company. And another daughter, Angela Borchetta, has worked at companies including Universal South, RCA and Big Machine; she also founded White House Promotion and Marketing.

Scott Borchetta wrote a tribute to his father on Instagram. “This Legend’s time here is done… without you, there’s no music biz or racing in my life… your memory shall live on… and you’re riding shotgun today in the #48 Chevrolet Xfinity car… Love you, dad…”

Information on funeral services is pending.

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If you’re hosting pool parties this summer, you’ll want to prep with products that’ll keep the vibe strong.

Of course, you’ll need floaties, meat for the grill, drinks, the whole nine yards. A key element to throwing a successful shindig is music, of course. If you’re looking for the perfect speaker system for your next poolside get-together, look no further.

Target, Amazon and Walmart all feature unique Bluetooth waterproof pool speakers to get your next pool party bumping with tunes, whether you’re in or out of the water. We’ve compiled a list of the best options available for an affordable price. It’s safe to say that with these speakers, your next pool party will be a hit.

KingSom Pool Bluetooth Speakers with LED Lights

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A floating speaker with rainbow LED lights.

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KingSom Pool Bluetooth Speaker is currently on sale on Amazon for $16.95, which is 25% off the original price. This nifty gadget is Bluetooth compatible and delivers clear and crisp sound both indoors and outdoors. The speaker also includes a built-in mic with anti-noise and anti-interference cancellation technology so you can also take calls from the pool or hot tub without getting your phone wet.

This tech is waterproof, allowing it to glide across the water’s surface without fear of damage. Perfect for any celebration, the speaker also features 7 color-changing modes including single color, color gradient, color flash, color slow flash and color off. Our favorite is slow flash mode, a setting that flashes in time with the beat of the music.

GEMS Novelty Floating Speaker<br><a href=”https://www.target.com/p/gems-39-duck-39-novelty-floating-speaker-yellow/-/A-94055263#”></a>

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A rubber duckie-shaped speaker that floats on water.

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Pool floaties are a must-have for pool parties. Speakers are too. GEMS’ Novelty Floating Speaker offers the best of both worlds, given it’s an inflatable pool floatie with a speaker in the center. This sweet little speaker features a battery life of up to 4 hours and an IPX7 waterproof speaker inserted into the center. The duckie floatie surrounding the speaker can easily be inflated and deflated thanks to a nozzle fixed to the side. A USB-C charging cable is included with your purchase so you can charge up your tunes with ease.

Speaqua Barnacle Pro 2.0 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker in <br>Tidal Blue

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A bluetooth speaker that can stick to the wall.

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Retailing for $69.99 at Target, the Speaqua Barnacle Pro 2.0 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker can securely stick to any surface, true to its aquatic name. The speaker boasts and 8-hour battery life. It’s 100% waterproof and features a suction cup on the bottom that allows you to stick it to the walls of pools, bathtubs and more so you can take your tunes wherever you go. The suction detailing can be removed so that the speaker can float on water. Keeping this tech clean is easy, given the Barnacle is shockproof, dustproof and sandproof. Additional features include 4-in-1 universal mounting and a whopping 8GB of internal storage.

Mainstays 1.1 lb Portable Bluetooth Pool Speaker with RGB Lights

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A floating pool speaker with colorful lights.

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This circular speaker doesn’t look like much at first glance, it’s a knock-out in our book. Retailing for $19.97 at Walmart, the Mainstays 1.1 lb Portable Bluetooth Pool Speaker is a compact piece of tech that can easily float in the pool. This speaker can be controlled with a remote control included with the tech. Diving into the details on this piece, it includes rope holes for portable carrying, vibrant RGB lights and Bluetooth compatibility with a distance of 20 meters. This is on the more affordable side, perfect for those looking to bring the party without breaking the bank.

PinkPantheress is taking her Fancy That mixtape on the road, and announced a North American tour.

On Monday (June 16), Pink revealed that she’d be embarking on a residency-style North American tour titled An Evening With PinkPantheress. The nine North American dates will see the singer come to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and more cities for the first time, marking her first headlining U.S. shows since 2024’s Capable of Love ’24 Tour.

PinkPantheress’ artist presale begins on Wednesday (June 18) at 10 am local time, with Spotify presales beginning Thursday (June 19) at 12 pm local time. General on-sale begins Friday (June 20) at 10 am local time.

While it’s exciting to have Pink back on road, the UK singer recently critiqued her own performance in an interview, saying it’s not a main driver for her music.

“I don’t do music to perform, I think is the thing, and that’s perfectly fine,” she said in an interview with Capital Buzz. “I think that people are probably used to and also expect a singer to be able to perform well. And I don’t blame anyone for thinking that. I’m not the best performer. Again, it’s one of those things where I’m like ‘I’m going to get better.’”

She continued: “But the thing is, no amount of rehearsals can make a difference when you’re in front of like 10,000, 50,000, 100,000. No amount of rehearsal you can do, and as somebody that has got very bad stage fright… I think one of the things people say is like, ‘Oh, I think her performances are a hindrance to her career.’ And I do think there is a level of if you want to make it as like a big, big pop-diva.”

Check out her full list of dates below.

The success of Sabrina Carpenter‘s new single “Manchild” on the charts has been anything but stupid, slow or useless, with the track debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week.

And to celebrate the feat, the typically cheeky pop star uploaded an earnest message to fans on her Instagram Story on Monday (June 16). “I can’t tell you how much this means to me!!!!” she wrote, sharing Billboard‘s post about the accomplishment. “This song makes me so happy.”

“Thank you eternally for listening,” added Carpenter, who also tagged her “Manchild” collaborators, producer Jack Antonoff and songwriter Amy Allen, and wrote, “I love ya.”

The singer also reacted to the news on X, writing, “i had a funny response but I’m just gonna say thank you <3”

Serving as the lead single to Carpenter’s new album Man’s Best Friend, “Manchild” dropped on June 5. The track is her first to debut in the Hot 100’s top spot, and her second total No. 1 hit so far (following “Please Please Please” in 2024).

Man’s Best Friend is set to arrive in August, almost exactly one year after the Girl Meets World alum unveiled her breakthrough album Short n’ Sweet. In a recent cover story interview with Rolling Stone, Carpenter explained why she took such a brief break between albums, pointing out that it wasn’t atypical back in the day for idols Dolly Parton and Linda Rondstadt to release an LP every year.

“I’m like, ‘When did we stop doing that?’ Writers write, they make music, and they release music,” Carpenter told the publication. “If I really wanted to, I could have stretched out Short n’ Sweet much, much longer. But I’m at that point in my life where I’m like, ‘Wait a second, there’s no rules.’ If I’m inspired to write and make something new, I would rather do that. Why would I wait three years just for the sake of waiting three years?”