UPDATE (July 8): Grammy-nominated dancehall icon Bounty Killer will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards, which will be held on Thursday, Aug. 28, at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The honor, in recognition of Bounty Killer’s transformative influence across multiple generations of Caribbean artists, comes just over a month after the Kingston-bred artist headlined Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for his first U.S. performance in 15 years on July 5. Bounty Killer has earned three entries on the Billboard Hot 100: 1997’s “Hip-Hopera” (No. 81, with The Fugees), 1998’s “Deadly Zone” (No. 79, with Mobb Deap and Rappin’ Noyd) and 2001’s “Hey Baby” (No. 5, with No Doubt).

Austin “Super Blue” Lyons, a Trinidadian calypsonian giant who pioneered this iconic “jump and wave” style of soca with 1991’s “Get Something and Wave,” will receive the Calypso Honors for his impact on the genre. Notably, Super Blue was the first artist to win Trinidad’s annual International Soca Monarch competition in 1993. That same year, he also won the country’s annual Road March contest (with the same song, “Bacchanal Time,” no less), making him the first artist to do so.

Trinidadian composer, songwriter, producer and artist Kerwin Du Bois, who won International Groovy Soca Monarch in 2014 with “Too Real,” will receive a special Producer Honor.

PREVIOUSLY (April 9): Grammy-nominated pop-dancehall princess Shenseea and Jamaican dancehall hitmaker Masicka lead the nominations for the 2025 Caribbean Music Awards, with seven nods each.

Notably, Shenseea, who won her first Caribbean Music Award last year for female artist of the year (dancehall), scored her first solo Grammy nomination earlier this year. Her sophomore album, Never Gets Late Here, was recognized in the best reggae album category, ultimately losing out to the Bob Marley: One Love soundtrack.

Soca superstars Patrice Roberts and Kes follow with six Caribbean Music Awards nominations. Dancehall legend Vybz Kartel, genre-fusing soca star Nailah Blackman and Jamaican dancehall stars Chronic Law and Kranium each have five nods. In addition, Trinidadian soca titan Bunji Garlin and reggae luminaries Romain Virgo and Lila Iké are next in line with four nods each.

The Caribbean Music Awards recognizes artists, producers and industry professionals who have significantly contributed to the Caribbean music landscape. This year’s nominations list includes more than 150 nominees across 40-plus categories spanning a diverse range of genres including reggae, soca, dancehall, calypso, R&B and gospel.

This year, the Caribbean Music Awards is introducing seven new categories: Caribbean R&B and Zess-Steam Artist of the Year, International DJ of the Year (Female), Reggae Collaboration of the Year, and Reggae, Gospel, and Caribbean Fusion Song of the Year. The new categories reflect the breadth of Caribbean music and the increasing consumption of particular styles and sounds. “The Greatest Bend Over,” Yung Bredda’s Full Blown-produced smash, became one of the biggest soca crossover hits of the year thanks to its incorporation of Zess.

“Zess has a very large following among the youth in Trinidad, but [those artists] have been struggling to be accepted by mainstream Trini music – which is soca,” Kevon Hart of Full Blown told Billboard in March. “For us, this was a very clever way of combining the two and showing the Zess artists that they do what we do, just in a different way.”

Other notable nominees include Jada Kingdom, Spice, Mical Teja, Lady Lava and Dexta Daps — last year’s most nominated artist — with three nods each.

The awards are presented by the Caribbean Elite Group, which also produces Caribbean Elite Magazine – a print and digital publication that highlights Caribbean entertainers, artists, producers, promoters, cuisine, travel, fashion and entrepreneurs.

Voting is currently underway at the Caribbean Music Awards website, and will conclude on Friday, May 1. Winners will be celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 28, at King Theatre in Brooklyn, N.Y.

For the complete list of nominations, visit the Caribbean Music Awards website. Here are the nominees in selected categories:

Reggae — Album of the Year

Various Artists — Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by the Film (Deluxe)

Bugle — Apex

Etana — Nectar of the Gods

Mortimer — From Within

Romain Virgo — The Gentle Man

UB40 — UB45

Dancehall — Album of the Year

Dexta Daps — Trilogy

Govana — Legacy

Shenseea — Never Gets Late Here

Spice — Mirror 25

Vybz Kartel — First Week Out

People’s Choice Award

Joé Dwèt Filé

Kes

Lady Lava

Shenseea

Skeng

Skillibeng

Vybz Kartel

Yung Bredda

Dancehall Song of the Year

Squash, “Big Breeze”

Vybz Kartel, “The Comet”

ArmaniI, “HAAD (Fiesta)”

Busy Signal, “Happy Birthday”

Kranium & Chronic Law, “Higher Life”

Shenseea, Masicka & Di Genius, “Hit & Run”

Jada Kingdom, “What’s Up (Big Buddy)”

Masicka, “Whites”

Reggae Song of the Year

Romain Virgo & Masicka, “Been There Before”

Bugle, Buju Banton & Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, “Thank You Lord”

Lila Iké & Joey Bada$$, “Fry Plantain”

Pressure Busspipe, “Haunted”

Protoje, “Legend Legend”

Marlon Asher & Sizzla, “Never See Us Fall”

Alaine & Usain Bolt, “Pile Up”

YG Marley, “Praise Jah in the Moonlight”

Soca Song of the Year

Patrice Roberts, “Anxiety”

Nailah Blackman & Lyrikal, “Best Self”

Blaka Dan, “Blessing”

Bunji Garlin, “Carnival Contract”

Problem Child, “Carnival Jumbie”

Mical Teja, “DNA”

GB Nutron & Farmer Nappy, “In the Center”

Trilla-G, Lil Boy & Quan, “Someone Else”

Musical Event of the Year

Buju Banton — Long Walk to Freedom

Dominica World Creole Festival

Patrice Roberts — I Am Woman

Konpa Kingdom

Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival

Soca Brainwash

Stink & Dutty

Vybz Kartel — Freedom Street

Zess-Steam Artist Of The Year 

Lady Lava

Father Philis

Nelly Cottoy

Sackie

Trinidad Killa 

Yung Bredda

Caribbean R&B Artist of The Year

Amanda Reifer

Dexta Daps

D’yani

Kranium

Monéa

Tosh Alexander

Caribbean Fusion Artist of the Year

5 Two

Kalash 

Kanis

Michael Robinson

Naika 

Stefflon Don

Dancehall Artist Of The Year (Male)

Busy Signal 

Chronic Law

Dexta Daps

Kranium 

Masicka

Sean Paul

Valiant

Vybz Kartel

Reggae Artist Of The Year (Male)

Anthony B 

Buju Banton

Gramps Morgan

Pressure

Romain Virgo

Sizzla

Tarrus Riley

YG Marley

Soca Artist Of The Year (Male)

​​Bunji Garlin

GBM Nutron

Kerwin Dubuis

Kes

Mical Teja

Mr. Killa

Problem Child 

Skinny Fabulous

Dancehall Artist Of The Year (Female)

Jada Kingdom

Shaneil Muir

Shenseea

Spice

Stalk Ashley

Stefflon Don

Vanessa Bling

Reggae Artist Of The Year (Female)

Alaine

Etana

Lila Iké

Marcia Griffiths

Naomi Cowan

Queen Omega

Tanya Stephens

Soca Artist Of The Year (Female)

Anika Berry

Destra Garcia

Fay-Ann Lyons

Jadel

Nadia Batson

Nailah Blackman

Nessa Preppy

Patrice Roberts

Best New Artist (Dancehall)

Armanii

Daan Chorus

Kman 6ixx

Kraff Gad

Lady Lava

Malie Donn

Monea

Rajah Wild

Best New Artist (Soca)

Blaka Dan

Coutain

Hunter

Imani Ray

Mela Caribe

Star Martin

Th3rd

Trinidad Killa

Best New Artist (Reggae)

Halie

Aiesha

Blvk H3ro

Jayden

Joby Jay

Kxng Izem

Royal Blue

Sevana

Latin Caribbean Artist of the Year

AKIM

Bad Bunny

El Alfa

Kruziano

La Pana

Prince Royce

Romeo Santos

Shakira

Bruce Springsteen’s Tracks II: The Lost Albums debuts on Billboard’s charts dated July 12, including in the top 10 on both Top Album Sales and Americana/Folk Albums, launching at No. 7 on each list.

Released June 27, the collection boasts 83 songs via seven previously unreleased Springsteen albums, with 74 of the songs available in any form for the first time. “The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released,” Springsteen notes per promotion by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings. “I’ve played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I’m glad you’ll get a chance to finally hear them.”

Tracks II: The Lost Albums starts with 14,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending July 3, according to Luminate, led by 10,000 in album sales.

The album was released in nine-LP and seven-CD physical editions. They sold for $349.98 and $299.99, respectively, on Springsteen’s website.

Additionally, Springsteen’s Lost and Found: Selections From the Lost Albums debuts at No. 22 on Americana/Folk Albums (5,000 units). The release contains 20 songs from Tracks II: The Lost Albums.

The seven distinct albums on Tracks II: The Lost Albums, recorded between 1983 and 2018, are LA Garage Sessions ’83, Streets of Philadelphia Sessions, Faithless, Somewhere North of Nashville, Inyo, Twilight Hours and Perfect World.

Erik Flannigan, essayist for Tracks II: The Lost Albums, describes the album’s content in an in-depth behind-the-scenes video as “what for someone else would be their entire career.”

Tracks II: The Lost Albums follows Springsteen’s 1998 project Tracks, which contains 66 songs, most of which were previously unreleased. As with Lost and Found: Selections From the Lost Albums, the abridged 18 Tracks accompanied Tracks (with 15 of its songs from the latter set).

Tracks II: The Lost Albums enters the all-genre Billboard 200 at No. 68, marking Springsteen’s 44th career entry. He expands his history on the chart to two weeks shy of 50 years — his first two studio LPs, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, each released in 1973, marked his first appearances on the chart, or any Billboard ranking, in the issue dated July 26, 1975.

New mothers have so many things to worry about and juggle after bringing their little miracle home. The very last thing they need is some rando offering unsolicited parenting advice on what they are doing wrong.

Just ask season 10 American Idol runner-up and country singer Lauren Alaina, who took to her Insta on Monday (July 7) to clap back at a nosy Nancy who seemed to know exactly what the 30-year-old new mom should be doing to help month-old daughter Beni Doll Arnold. In a since-expired Instagram Story, Alaina posted a video of her washing baby bottles for Beni when Nancy tried to shame the “Road Less Traveled” for not breastfeeding her child.

“Just because I posted a video of myself washing my daughter’s bottles does not give you the right to shame me and harass me and tell me that I should be breastfeeding my child when in reality I’m triple feeding my child,” Alaina said in the video in which she’s shading her mouth with one hand, pretending to whisper the comments to someone unseen. “Because my number one goal is to breast feed her. But she can’t latch properly, so we’ve been seeing lactation specialists, and feeding specialists to try to resolve the problem,” she added.

According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, it is “common in the first days of life to have trouble latching on or maintaining sucking at the breast.” There are a number of factors that can cause the issue, including jaundice, infection or other issues that can affect a baby’s ability to stay alert or coordinate the “suck-swallow-breathe” actions necessary to breastfeed. The causes are not always obvious, so some parents supplement whatever breast milk they can deliver with formula.

“So, I am having to bottle-feed her, try to latch her, and pump every two hours,” Alaina said. “So, mind ya business, Nancy. You don’t know me and I don’t know you and lets keep it that way.” Dropping her hand and looking at the camera with an incredulous smirk, Alaina added with a smile, “Who said that?”

Alaina got plenty of props from her fellow country stars and supporters on the video, including mother of three singer Martina McBride who commented, “Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!👏👏👏” and The Bachelor veteran Colton Underwood, who wrote, “Nancy you better CHILL.” Another fan offered some helpful advice after experiencing similarly frustrating issues.

“As a momma who triple fed for MONTHS until we could get a tongue and lip tie revision done, I feel you momma,” she said. “We tried all the things, I was established with lactation before I ever had him, we worked on exercises and triple fed every 2.5-3 hours, but sometimes it still isn’t as easy as we would hope. You’re doing great.”

Alaina released a new song, “Heaven Sent,” to celebrate her daughter’s birth, a co-write with labelmate HARDY and Ben Johnson that also pays tribute to the singer’s father, who died a year ago.

Check out Alaina’s video below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lauren Alaina (@laurenalaina)

Two months after the bulk of the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards were presented at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the ACM announced the winners of the ACM Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards via social media on Tuesday (July 8).

All ACM Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards winners will be celebrated at the 18th Academy of Country Music Honors on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at The Pinnacle, located at Nashville Yards. The event will also recognize previously announced artist-songwriter of the year winner Lainey Wilson and songwriter of the year winner Jessie Jo Dillon, as well as this year’s Special Award recipients, which will be announced on Wednesday July 9. Performers will be revealed in the coming weeks. 

Among the winners of the Studio Recording Awards, Dave Cobb wins his sixth ACM Award by winning producer of the year (his third win in the category). He has also won album of the year three times as producer of Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, From A Room: Volume 1 and Starting Over. He was nominated for single of the year at this year’s ACM Awards for producing Stapleton’s “White Horse.”

Studio guitarist Brent Mason wins his 12th Studio Recording Award – electric guitar player of the year. First-time winners include Drew Bollman (audio engineer of the year), Alex Wright (piano/keyboards player of the year), and Craig Young (bass player of the year).Young tied for the latter award with co-winner Mark Hill.

Among the winners of the Industry Awards, Ed Warm takes home his 18thand 19th ACM Industry Awards – club of the year (Joe’s on Weed St.) and festival of the year (Windy City Smokeout). First-time winners include The Caverns (theater of the year), The Theater at Virgins Hotels (casino of the year – theater), and Aaron Spalding (promoter of the year).

“We are thrilled to bring the Country Music industry’s favorite night, ACM Honors, to The Pinnacle, Nashville’s newest live music venue, next month,” Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for the Academy as we reimagine this special night through new partnerships and a new format that will elevate the show’s impact.”

Tickets for ACM Honors will be available to ACM A-List email newsletter subscribers and Academy members through an exclusive pre-sale beginning Thursday, July 10, with general on-sale beginning Friday, July 11, through AXS. Fans can subscribe now to the A-List to gain access to Thursday’s pre-sale.

Below is a complete list of the nominees for the Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards from the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, with winners marked: 

Studio Recording Awards

Producer of the Year

    WINNER: Dave Cobb

    Ian Fitchuk

    Charlie Handsome

    Jon Randall

    Alysa Vanderheym

Audio Engineer of the Year

    Brandon Bell

    WINNER: Drew Bollman

    Josh Ditty

    Buckley Miller

    F. Reid Shippen

Bass Player of the Year

    J.T. Cure

    WINNER (TIE): Mark Hill

    Rachel Loy

    Tony Lucido

    WINNER (TIE): Craig Young

Drummer of the Year

    Fred Eltringham

    Tommy Harden

    Evan Hutchings

    WINNER: Aaron Sterling

    Nir Z

Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year

    WINNER: Tim Galloway

    Todd Lombardo

    Mac McAnally

    Bryan Sutton

    Ilya Toshinskiy

Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year

    Dave Cohen

    Ian Fitchuk

    Billy Justineau

    Gordon Mote

    WINNER: Alex Wright

Specialty Instrument Player of the Year

    Dan Dugmore

    WINNER: Jenee Fleenor

    Josh Matheny

    Justin Schipper

    Kristin Wilkinson

Electric Guitar Player of the Year

    Kris Donegan

    Jedd Hughes

    WINNER: Brent Mason

    Sol Philcox-Littlefield

    Derek Wells

Industry Awards

Casino of the Year – Theater

    Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, S.D.

    Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, Conn.

    Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort – Cherokee, N.C.

    WINNER: The Theater at Virgin Hotels – Las Vegas, Nev.

    Yaamava’ Theater – Highland, Calif.

Casino of the Year – Arena

    Golden Nugget Lake Charles – Lake Charles, La.

    Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena – Atlantic City, N.J.

    WINNER: Harveys Lake Tahoe – Stateline, Nev.

    Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, Minn.

    Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona, N.Y.

Festival of the Year

    C2C Country to Country – London

    CMC Rocks – Ipswich, Queensland

    Stagecoach Festival – Indio, Calif.

    Two Step Inn – Georgetown, Tex.

    WINNER: Windy City Smokeout – Chicago

Fair/Rodeo of the Year

    Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta

    California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, Calif.

    Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, Wy.

    Minnesota State Fair – Falcon Heights, Minn.

    WINNER: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – Houston

Club of the Year

    Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, Tex.

    Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville

    Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, Okla.

    Georgia Theatre – Athens, Ga.

    WINNER: Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago

Theater of the Year

    WINNER: The Caverns – Pelham, Tenn.

    MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston

    The Met Philadelphia – Philadelphia

    The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, Wisc.

    Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, Tenn.

Outdoor Venue of the Year

    WINNER: BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, N.H.

    CMAC – Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, N.Y.

    Saint Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Fla.

    The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, Ala.

    Whitewater Amphitheater – New Braunfels, Tex.

Arena of the Year

    Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, Tex.

    WINNER: Moody Center – Austin, Tex.

    TD Garden – Boston

    Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center – Knoxville, Tenn.

    Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, Mich.

Don Romeo Talent Buyer of the Year

    Deana Baker

    Bobby Clay

    WINNER: Gil Cunningham

    Weston Hebert

    Stacy Vee

    Taylor Williamson

Promoter of the Year

    Brent Fedrizzi

    Alex Maxwell

    Patrick McDill

    Anna-Sophie Mertens

    Rich Schaefer

    WINNER: Aaron Spalding – Live Nation

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.