The worlds of K-pop’s biggest boy band and girl group collided over the weekend, with j-hope of BTS showing support for BLACKPINK by pulling up to the second night of the DEADLINE World Tour on Sunday (July 6).  

In a video shared by Billboard Korea on Instagram, j-hope is escorted to his seat at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, South Korea, where ROSÉ, LISA, JENNIE and JISOO played two back-to-back shows to kick off their first full-band trek in two years. Excited fans cheer and snap videos as the boy-band star — looking suave in an open button-down shirt and shades — passes by.

Another clip shows j-hope vibing to music playing over the speakers, making up little dance moves in the stands.

BLACKPINK’s shows in Goyang put an end to a two-year band break, during which the four members focused on solo music (some of which they performed in between full-group numbers over the weekend). It’s possible j-hope attended Night 2 to take notes on his own band’s upcoming reunion, with BTS set to come back together in 2026 now that the members’ respective times in the South Korean military have concluded. 

“We’ll be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year,” the band announced in a joint statement on July 1. “Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music … We’re also planning a world tour alongside the new album. We’ll be visiting fans all around the world, so we hope you’re as excited as we are.”

BTS last dropped an album in 2020, with Be topping the Billboard 200 in December that year. Similarly to BLACKPINK, the seven members of the boy band each experimented with solo music during their time apart, with j-hope dropping EP Hope On The Street, Vol.1 in 2024. Most recently, he released singles “Mona Lisa” and “Killin’ It Girl” featuring GloRilla in March and June, respectively.

“After pursuing our own little ventures, we are now coming back together, and I love that for us,” j-hope told Weverse Magazine of BTS’ upcoming reunion in December. “When we’re all back together as a group, it’s going to have a huge impact, and everybody’s going to be watching. I’m excited to see what it’ll feel like when we perform together again. I want to come back in style and say, ‘This is us. This is BTS.’”

Merck Mercuriadis, founder of the influential catalog investment group Hipgnosis, is preparing to launch a re-vamped version of that company, this time with the aim of co-investing with artists and their managers, according to an article in the Financial Times.

The former manager of star acts like Beyoncé, Guns N’ Roses and Elton John, Mercuriadis built a suite of Hipgnosis companies–two catalog acquisition funds, and an investment manager that worked to generate a return on publishing and other rights it owned to songs by the likes of Shakira, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac and Diana Ross. Amid tumult at the branch of Hipgnosis that was publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange, private equity giant and Hipgnosis-backer Blackstone bought and consolidated those companies, renaming them Recognition Music, with Mercuriadis ultimately leaving the group in 2024.

During Hipgnosis’ heyday, Mercuriadis made bold pledges to be artists’ and songwriters’ advocate making them “the most money possible while compromising the least.” The new Hipgnosis that he plans to launch will continue that mission by creating a platform providing services to superstar artists who are their own brands and buying some catalogs, too, the music industry veteran told the FT in an article published July 6.

Investors have committed hundreds of millions of dollars of backing for Mercuriadis’ new venture, and the group is in talks for its first two acquisitions, the FT reports.

In the wide-ranging interview, Mercuriadis rejected the assertion that Hipgnosis fueled a run-up in the price of catalogs by overpaying, he blamed “activist investors for the sudden end of his former company,” and he said he hopes one day to buy back the rights he accumulated under the Hipgnosis name.

“One of my goals is to buy the catalogue back,” Mercuriadis said in the report. “Blackstone are … getting a great return on the catalogue that I put together. So I’m going to have to pay properly for it.”

Recognition Music did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

During last year’s Fourth of July, Kendrick Lamar set off more than fireworks when he released his now-ubiquitous video, “Not Like Us.” The seething retort against Drake not only rattled the 6 God and his disciples but unequivocally lunged Lamar into God mode. What followed was an unrelenting onslaught: a cinematic Super Bowl performance, a resounding Grammy sweep, and a 13-week Hot 100 triumph with “Luther.” Lamar’s indomitable reign has only intensified in the months since courtesy of his Grand National Stadium Tour alongside SZA. TDE’s 1-2 punch has landed devastating haymakers with Mike Tyson force while the rest of the rap game scrambles for hits.

This year’s Fourth of July rang a little differently: Lamar’s former lyrical combatant Drake entered the ring with ruthless intentions of his own, releasing “What Did I Miss?” After quietly piecing together a solid comeback campaign consisting of his chart-topping $ome $exy $ongs 4 U album with PARTYNEXTDOOR — as well as that set’s breakout hit, the No. 2-climbing Hot 100 smash “NOKIA” — Drizzy could be masterminding his biggest heist yet: The Summer of Drake.

Hip-hop needs this, in more ways than one. Aside from “Luther” running the tables on the Hot 100, the only hip-hop song to go No. 1 this year was Travis Scott’s “4X4,” which lasted only a week on top and dropped out of the top 40 the next frame. Though Playboi Carti’s Music album dominated the Billboard 200 and served as a career win for him, none of the set’s singles had longevity inside the top 10 of the Hot 100 either. And while we do have a platter of braggadocious bars being served this month in Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, alongside a possible reunion between Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist for Alfredo 2, Lamar and Drake remain the genre’s main characters. Together, “Luther” and “NOKIA” have kept the genre’s pulse alive through the first half of 2025.

Now, with Drake firmly in album mode and gearing up for a historic three-day set at Wireless Festival beginning this Friday (July 11), the cards appear stacked in his favor. Sonically, “What Did I Miss?” is a solid rap return for Drake, who’s otherwise spent the year entrenched in his R&B bag. Consider it a shootaround for the rapper: a volley of barbs, an entrancing beat-switch, and some biting shots against one of his former NBA homies.

Upon its release, “What Did I Miss?” rocketed to the top of Spotify and Apple Charts. Whether it can secure a high debut on the Billboard charts in typical Drake fashion remains to be seen. Still, the rollout, complete with Drake blasting snippets from an Iceman rig truck all over Toronto — was pretty dope. Couple in his upcoming U.K. Tour with PND and the looming OVO Fest, Drake could be positioning himself for a strong return.

Would it be enough to dethrone Kung Fu Kenny? That’s tough to chew on, considering the god-tier run Lamar has delivered over the last 365 days. Still, we can’t dismiss Drake’s hitmaking prowess and ability to shake the culture. Even after Lamar’s drubbing, Drake snuck back into the conversation with “NOKIA,” which wasn’t just a Billboard hit, but was an instant party starter and social media gem. Meanwhile, a song like “Somebody Loves Me” hasn’t secured the Hot 100 spotlight like its predecessor, it’s a song that continues to light up the social media scoreboard and nightclubs — and has been slowly climbing back up the chart for weeks after its initial debut and fade, re-entering the Hot 100’s top half last week.

Do we want introspective raps from Drake on Iceman? Yes. But we also need a little bit of 2018 Drake when “In My Feelings” and “Nice For What” rang off in every speaker. Just like how Jay-Z ran the summers during his reign, it doesn’t feel right when The Boy isn’t clocking in from June to September. Maybe a little dose of Aubrey is what the game needs just about now.

A tender ode of acceptance and reassurance from Rissi Palmer and Eric Lee, a powerful song from Erin Enderlin and Randy Houser aimed at uplifting those facing deep-seated emotional battles linked to military service, and a stark look at struggles of everyday Americans from Colby Acuff are on this week’s crop of new tunes.

Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of some of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.

Erin Enderlin feat. Randy Houser, “When You Look at Me”

Premier singer-songwriter Erin Enderlin (known for writing songs recorded by Reba, Alan Jackson and The War and Treaty) teams with soul-stirring vocalist Randy Houser (“Like a Cowboy”) for this powerfully vulnerable song about excavating the invisible, emotional battles that numerous military members keep hidden. Erin wrote the song with veterans Tanja Struyck-Fogleman and Brent Fogleman as part of the SongwritingWith: Soldiers program, which pairs songwriters with military veterans to help them craft songs meant to connect and heal. “I’m walking ’round in memories you don’t know nothing about/ Sometimes I’m not okay and I need that to be okay,” they sing, and in the process, shine a light on experiences shared by many.

Charley Crockett, “Crucified Son”

Crockett previews his forthcoming album Dollar a Day on this stellar outing, thanks to his transcendent, ageless country sound. Ace guitar riffs and tambourines mesh into a relaxed but supremely confident groove, riding alongside Crockett’s gritty, elastic vocal phrasing. He reflects on moments of betrayal “They call me friends/ And drive nails into my name.” Still, Crockett infuses the song with his signature soulful musical swagger.

Rissi Palmer and Eric Lee, “For Who You Are”

Palmer and Lee join forces on this quietly powerful ballad. Framed as a vow of unwavering support, the song blends lyrics of resilience and love to become a balm, even when outside forces attempt to discredit and diminish. “They try to cut you down ’cause you stand taller in the yard,” they sing, as the song becomes a luminous showcase for Palmer’s ethereal upper register, balanced by Lee’s husky timbre. The song is a quiet-yet-steely battle cry of support in trying, awry times.

Chase Rice and Wyatt McCubbin, “Two-Tone Trippin’”

Rice links up with McCubbin (who has penned hits for Lainey Wilson and Luke Combs) for a backroad burner that feels custom-built for summer weekends and roadtrips. Anchored by a swampy acoustic guitar riff and a burly-yet-laid back percussion, the song features Rice and McCubbin Rice etching vivid details of the memories made in a two-tone truck with its “third gear slippin’,” and “radiator hotter than a grease fire kitchen.”

Colby Acuff, “Average American”

As America celebrated its 249th birthday over the weekend, Acuff issued a song that delivered a stark look at how the so-called “American Dream” is increasingly difficult to obtain for so many. He depicts the struggles of many everyday Americans, including fading opportunities, skyrocketing costs of living, and rising debt levels from costly degrees that have a dwindling return on investment. At one point, he sings of families who take their shot on lottery tickets, adding “You’ve got a better shot to win than own a piece of land.” Originally written by Chandler Brown, Holden James and Noah Gunderson, Acuff contributed writing to the song’s second verse. The song offers a skewering reminder of just some of the myriad of changes the country desperately needs.

ByteDance is reportedly creating a new, U.S.-exclusive version of TikTok, dubbed “M2,” scheduled for release on Sept. 4. This initiative is intended to comply with U.S. legislation mandating that the Chinese-owned company divest its American TikTok operations or face a nationwide ban.

According to a report by The Information, the current TikTok app (“M”) will be removed from U.S. app stores upon M2’s release, and may stop functioning by March, though that date could change. 

This comes as Trump announced on Friday that he will begin discussions with China on Monday or Tuesday regarding a potential deal, stating that the U.S. “pretty much” has an agreement in place for the app’s sale.

The law requiring TikTok’s U.S. sale was signed by President Biden, but enforcement has been repeatedly delayed by President Trump, and although a potential buyer group has emerged, the deal may still need approval from the Chinese government.

As of now, the ban is scheduled to take effect on Sept. 17.

On June 19, Trump issued his third executive order granting TikTok a 90-day extension to continue operating in the U.S., following earlier extensions in January and April.

The latest delay followed a failed deal after China withdrew support due to new U.S. tariffs. While the legal basis for these extensions remains unclear, no court challenges have emerged. TikTok has simply continued to operate for its 170 million U.S. users, with support from Apple, Google, and Oracle. 

Trump, who has over 15 million TikTok followers, credits the platform for boosting his popularity among young voters. Analysts suggest the situation resembles a political “Groundhog Day,” with no clear resolution in sight. Despite uncertainty, TikTok is expanding, recently unveiling new AI tools. 

Public opinion remains divided: a Pew survey shows only one-third of Americans support a ban, down from 50% in 2023, with data security being the top concern.