The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame has revealed the 12 songcrafters who are the nominees for the class of 2025.

In the contemporary songwriters category, this year’s nominees are Steve Bogard, Shawn Camp, Don Henry, Gordon Kennedy, Tony Martin, Aimee Mayo, Jim Rushing and Darrell Scott. The nominees for the contemporary songwriter/artists category are Jim Lauderdale, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Lucinda Williams and CeCe Winans.

The 55th-anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala will be held Monday, Oct. 6, at Nashville’s Music City Center.

“Well-deserved congratulations to all the nominees in our contemporary categories,” Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame executive director Mark Ford said in a statement. “We look forward in several weeks to announcing those who will be inducted this fall as members of our Class of 2025.”

Each of the nominees earned their first significant songs at least two decades ago. A total of two songwriters and one songwriter/artist will be elected in the contemporary categories by members of the Hall of Fame, along with other professional songwriters and artists who are prominently associated with Nashville, or who have written/co-written at least one original and significant Nashville song. Three additional songwriters will also be named to the Class of 2025, as a separate body of veteran voters will elect a veteran songwriter, veteran songwriter/artist and legacy songwriter (honoring a deceased songwriter), each of whom have earned their first significant songs at least three decades ago (nominees in these categories are not announced).

Bogard is known for writing songs including Marty Robbins’ “Touch Me With Magic,” George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love With Me,” Rascal Flatts’ “Prayin’ For Daylight” and Dierks Bentley’s “Long Trip Alone” and “Every Mile a Memory.”

Camp’s writing catalog includes Brooks & Dunn’s “How Long Gone,” Garth Brooks’s “Two Pina Coladas,” Josh Turner’s “Would You Go With Me” and “Firecracker,” Blake Shelton’s “Nobody But Me,” Strait’s “River of Love,” the Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder bluegrass hit “Sis Draper,” Billy Strings’s “Don’t Be Calling Me (at 4 AM),” and Willie Nelson’s “A Beautiful Time.”

Henry’s writing credits include “Class Reunion” (recorded by artists including John Conlee, The Oak Ridge Boys and Ray Charles), “Blue Highway” (T.G. Sheppard and Conlee), “All Kinds of Kinds” (Miranda Lambert) and the Grammy/CMA/ACM award winner “Where’ve You Been” (Kathy Mattea).

Kennedy is known as a writer on songs including the Grammy-winning “Change The World” (recorded by Wynonna and then by Eric Clapton). Kennedy also has more than a dozen songs recorded by Garth Brooks, including “You Move Me” and “Love Will Always Win” (with Trisha Yearwood), as well as songs recorded by Ricky Skaggs (“Return to Sender”) and Bonnie Raitt (“I Can’t Help You Now”). Gordon also co-wrote songs with his frequent writing collaborator Peter Frampton on songs for Frampton’s 2007 album Fingerprints. Gordon’s songs were also included in the Disney movie The Fox and the Hound 2.

Martin is known for songs such as the Strait-recorded “Baby’s Gotten Good at Goodbye,” Rascal Flatts’ “Banjo,” Lee Ann Womack’s “I’ll Think of a Reason Later,” Tim McGraw’s “Just to See You Smile,” Sara Evans’s “No Place That Far,” Joe Diffie’s “Third Rock From the Sun,” “Keith Urban’s “You Look Good in My Shirt,” Josh Turner’s “Time Is Love” and Dierks Bentley’s “Settle For a Slow Down.”

Mayo’s catalog of songs includes hits recorded by Tim McGraw (“My Best Friend”), Mark Wills (“Places I’ve Never Been”), and Lonestar (“Amazed,” which won the ACM’s song and single of the year and was nominated for a Grammy). Mayo was named BMI’s 2001 Country Songwriter of the Year. Other songs she’s contributed writing to are the Faith Hill/Tim McGraw classic “Let’s Make Love,” Martina McBride’s “This One’s For The Girls,” and Kenny Chesney’s “Bar at the End of the World” and “Who You’d Be Today.” Mayo is author of the memoir Talking to the Sky.

Rushing is known for contributing writing to songs including Charley Pride’s “Hope You’re Feelin’ Me (Like I’m Feelin’ You),” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s 1993 IBMA song of the year winner “Little Mountain Church House,” Ricky Skaggs’ “Canjun Moon” and “Thanks Again,” Garth Brooks’ “American Honky-Tonk Bar Association,” and the 1993 IBMA song of the year winner “Lonesome Standard Time,” (also a hit for Kathy Mattea).

Scott’s catalog of hits includes songs recorded by Travis Tritt (“It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”), Sara Evans (“Born to Fly”), The Chicks (“Long Time Gone”), Patty Loveless (“You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”), Darin & Brooke Aldridge (“Cumberland Plateau”), Blue Highway (“Bleeding For a Little Piece of Mind”) and the Zac Brown Band/Chris Cornell collaboration “Heavy Is The Head.” Scott was named the 2000-2001 NSAI songwriter of the year and the 2002 ASCAP country songwriter of the year.

In the 1990s, Lauderdale saw his songs recorded by artists including Mark Chesnutt (“Gonna Get a Life”), Patty Loveless (“Halfway Down,” as well as Loveless’ George Jones collaboration “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me”), and the Strait-recorded hits “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” and “What Do You Say to That.” In the Americana realm, Lauderdale has released 37 albums and won two Grammy accolades for bluegrass album of the year (for Lost in the Lonesome Pines and The Bluegrass Diaries), as well as earning bluegrass hits including “Mighty Lonesome” and “One Blue Mule.” Lauderdale was honored with the Americana Music Association’s lifetime achievement award in 2016.

Welch and Rawlings have shared a musical and songwriting partnership that goes back at least three decades. Since their debut project in 1996, the two have released songs in a variety of genres, including “Orphan Girl,” “Elvis Presley Blues” and “455 Rocket” (which also became a hit for Mattea), and “Tear My Stillhouse Down” (which became a bluegrass hit for The Nashville Bluegrass Band). Dailey & Vincent recorded a version of “By The Mark,” which was named the 2009 SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America) bluegrass song of the year. “When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings” was recorded by Tim Blake Nelson and Willie Nelson for the film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and was nominated for an Oscar for best original song. Welch and Rawlings received the AMA’s lifetime achievement award for songwriters in 2015.

Williams earned her breakthrough hit with “Changed the Locks” in 1988, which reached No. 16 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart and became a hit for Tom Petty nearly a decade later. Williams’ “Passionate Kisses” also became a top 5 Country Airplay hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter in 1993, and earned Williams a Grammy for best country song. She also earned Americana Music Honors and Awards nominations for songs including “Are You Alright?” and “East Side of Town.” She earned the 2011 Americana Music Honors & Awards lifetime achievement award for songwriting and earned a BMI troubadour award in 2022. Williams was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2021.

Winans started out as part of the luminous gospel music group the Winans Family, before joining musical forces with her brother BeBe Winans to form a duo. Their song “Addictive Love,” co-written by CeCe, earned a GMA Dove Award for contemporary Gospel song of the year in 1992. In 1995, Winans launched her solo career. Her song “Hallelujah Praise” won a 2004 GMA Dove Award for contemporary Gospel song of the year, while in 2009 she was nominated for a Dove Award for “Waging War.” In 2021, her song “Believe For It” won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian performance/song and the 2022 GMA Dove Award for song of the year. Winans has also written songs including “Let Them Fall In Love,” “Pray,” “Say A Prayer,” “Slippin’,” and “Well Alright.” Winans was inducted into the 2015 Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2015, and has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Music City Walk of Fame.

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Fenty, Puma and Smurfs have come together to create a collab all inspired by Rihanna’s latest film endeavor.

Jumping straight out of the silver screen, the Fenty x Puma x Smurfs collection is currently available worldwide at puma.com, Puma flagships and select global retailers. The collection features apparel and footwear for adults and kids inspired by the upcoming Smurfs movie that will be in theaters starting July 18. Rihanna plays Smurfette, so what better way to celebrate this Smurfs-centric occasion than rounding up some of the best pieces from the collab? Whether you’re a fan of the Smurfs franchise, a die-hard Rihanna stan or just looking to update your athleisure game, these pieces are for you.

One of Rihanna’s favorite sneaker silhouettes from Puma is their Avanti. It’s no wonder then that she chose to give the sneaker a Smurfs makeover for this collection. Retailing for $120.00, the updated style is equipped with powder blue denim uppers with contrasting gray accents in a Slate Sky colorway. The shoe is available in a multitude of sizing options for women, men, kids and toddlers.

No matter the size, the shoe is comprised of a low-top elongated fit with exaggerated tongues fixed with striking co-branded logo detailing. The outsoles are transparent, and adorned with a whimsical mushroom print underneath for a fun peekaboo touch. Finally, gray laces round out the set. The collaborative piece also comes with a custom Smurfette charm that can be attached to the shoe for endless customization.

This is for our low-key readers looking to rep the collaboration without screaming Smurfs. We see you and we get you. Simple but comfy, this long-sleeved crew neck is a great basic to add to your wardrobe. This piece is made with 20% recycled cotton for a breezier feel. The bodice is adorned with a Smurfette-inspired logo with her heels embroidered above the Fenty logo in subtle curved writing. Unlike all the other pieces in this collection, the crewneck is subtle, catering to the minimalists.

Who said loungewear has to be boring? In a more colorful twist, these knitted sweats in Archive Gold are a maximalist’s dream. Retailing for $170.00, the piece is made of a mixture of 60% cotton and 40% polyester which makes for a plush and ultra-comfortable finish when laid on the body. The fit is oversized but can be made more fitted with help from the drawstring closure secured to the waist.

Similarly, the hem of these sweats are tapered inwards, creating dimension. Bringing comfort, these sweats also come equipped with deep pockets. The fabric is a golden yellow hue dotted with a botanical print that evokes scenes from the Smurfs‘ village. You’ve got purple mushrooms, blooming florals and full green bushes that contrast the sweats’ base yellow hue.

This collection also includes a bunch of apparel pieces for the kids. Our favorite is this hoodie in the shade Regal Blue. Retailing for $65.00, this piece is made of 20% recycled cotton and comes in a dark and light blue spotted design that evokes the Smurfs coloring. Subtle Fenty x Puma co-branding can be found affixed to the bodice, while light blue stitching can be seen throughout. A large pocket adorns the front. This whimsical piece is a statement-maker for sure, one we can easily see worn on fashion-forward kids and little Smurfs fans alike.

Karol G has much to revel in this week as her fifth studio album, Tropicoqueta, storms in atop Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart (dated July 5). The set as also enters at No. 3 on the overall Billboard 200. Plus, she shatters her own record among female artists, landing 20 simultaneous songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart (18 debuts among those).

Tropicoqueta was released June 20 via Bichota/Interscope/ICLG. It debuts at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart with 57,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the tracking week ending June 26, according to Luminate.

Biggest Latin Album Streaming Week by a Woman in 2025: Of Tropicoqueta’s first week-sum, streaming activity contributes 54,500 units, which translates to 74.64 million official on-demand audio and video streams of its songs. That’s the largest streaming week this year for a Latin album by a woman. Only one other Latin album overall has had bigger streaming weeks this year — Bad Bunny’s DebÍ Tirar Más Fotos, with eight weeks larger than Karol’s opening streaming number.

Tropicoqueta’s sales also contribute another 2,000 units, while track-equivalent album activity brings in the remaining 500 units. (On Top Latin Albums, one unit equals one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)

Thanks to Tropicoqueta bursting in at No. 1, Karol G collects her fourth consecutive chart-topper on Top Latin Albums. She enters an elite group of female artists who have achieved at least four No. 1 albums or more, after Jenni Rivera, Selena and Shakira who each boasts seven No. 1 albums, and matches Ednita Nazario, Gloria Trevi, Thalia, with four No. 1 sets each.

Here is Karol G’s activity on the Top Latin Albums chart dating back to her first entry in 2017:

Debut & Peak, Title, Debut Date, Weeks at No. 1
No. 2, Unstoppable, Nov. 18, 2017
No. 2, Ocean, May 18, 2019
No. 1, KG0516, April 10, 2021, one
No. 1, Mañana Será Bonito, March 11, 2023, five
No. 1, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), Aug 26, 2023, one
No. 1, Tropicoqueta, July 5

Elsewhere, Tropicoqueta launches as Karol’s third top 10 overall among six career entries on the overall Billboard 200, at No. 3, behind two English-language albums: Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem (in its sixth week at No. 1) and Benson Boone’s American Heart (No. 2 debut).

Breaks Own Record Among Women on Hot Latin Songs Chart: Building on her new chart-topping debut album, Karol G beats herself and sets a new record among women, landing 20 simultaneous songs on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, after she placed 16 concurrent songs in March 2023. 18 songs from Tropicoqueta debut on the chart that mixes airplay, streams and digital sales into its formula. Those join “Latina Foreva,” the highest-ranked song from the album, which rises 8-4. Plus, stand-alone single “Milagros,” at No. 45.

Here’s a recap of Karol G’s takeover on Hot Latin Songs this week:

No. 4, “Latina Foreva”
No. 5, “Papasito”
No. 9, “Verano Rosa,” with Feid
No. 11, “Coleccionando Heridas,” with Marco Antonio Solis
No. 13, “Ivonny Bonita”
No. 17, “Dile Luna,” with Eddy Lover
No. 18, “Amiga Mía,” with Greeicy
No. 20, “Un Gatito Me Llamó”
No. 21, “Cuando Me Muera Te Olvido”
No. 24, “Tu Perfume”
No. 28, “Ese Hombre Es Malo”
No. 29, “Bandida Entrenada”
No. 31, “No Puedo Vivir Sin Él”
No. 32, “FKN Movie,” with Mariah Angeliq
No. 37, “Tropicoqueta”
No. 38, “Viajando Por El Mundo,” with Manu Chao
No. 44, “Se Puso Linda”
No. 45, “Milagros”
No. 46, “A Su Boca La Amo (Interlude)”
No. 48, “La Reina Presenta”

All charts (dated July 5, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, July 1. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Not your average shades! Maluma is seeing things differently thanks to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.  

These glasses aren’t as they appear. The style is packed with futuristic capabilities that offer users a hands-free way to capture, share and livestream the moments that matter most. Our favorites of the moment, and Maluma’s too, are the Wayfarer and Skyler styles in glossy black. Both styles are currently available on Ray-Ban.com starting from $316.00.

The Skyler is a cat eye sunglass style that comes in three unique colorways with a slew of lens choices, also in different hues. The Wayfarer is a square-shaped traditional glasses style with blue light-filtering lenses. No matter the style, these Ray-Ban and Meta smart glasses let you take 12MP photos, 1040p videos, answer phone calls and engage with AI. You can snap photos, record videos and livestream on Facebook and Instagram with the glasses to share in real-time.

These bad boys will last for up to four hours, however, if they do die, they come in a chargeable case. You can mix and match lenses and frame colors on Ray-Ban’s website to create your perfect frames. For further customization options, you can get both styles’ prescriptions, adding a practical element to these futuristic spectacles.

The “Según Quién” singer, who starred in a campaign for Meta back in 2024, likes wearing them because they allow him to share his “unique point of view” with fans.

“They’re super simple to use and feel like the average pair of sunglasses, except now I am more present,” the 29-year-old singer explained in an email interview with Billboard before heading back home to Colombia for the holidays.

“My favorite thing about the glasses is that I can share my unique point of view while living my life, enjoying moments with family and friends and even while on stage.” Ray-Ban and Meta tapped Maluma, Erykah Badu, Coi Leray and Coco Gauff for the campaign. Each celeb was styled in either the Meta Wayfarer and Meta Headliner smart glasses.

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“I wear glasses all the time, so I like to match the glasses with my outfit but also the vibes of the day,” he explained of his favorite style of glasses. “Sometimes I wear a classic Wayfarer and other moments I go bold and bright. I even wore the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer during my Latin Grammys performance [last November].”

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Celebrating its fifth year in the Hamptons, Palm Tree Music Festival kicked off summer with a sun-soaked, Don Julio-filled party at Southampton’s Shinnecock Reservation on June 21. Crowds of revelers came out to get sweaty, dance and party to vibrant sets from a jam-packed DJ lineup, including Fisher, Kygo, Mau P, Coco & Breezy, Tinx & Lucas, Benjamin Lloyd, Beau Cruz and Blond:ish.

Taking a quick break from Ibiza, Blond:ish brought the Mediterranean energy to the Hamptons, giving festivalgoers a taste of her historic Abracadabra residency show, performing hit songs like “Never Walk Alone” and blending a wide array of house sounds for a set full of good vibrations. The producer/DJ/label owner/philanthropist began her 11-week residency at clubbing institution Pacha last month, becoming the first female-led headlining residency at the venue and breaking the attendance record shortly after. With a new album out earlier this year, a record-breaking residency show, and a precious newborn turning 1 soon, 2025 has become a year of milestones for the Canadian artist.

Billboard caught up with the “Never Walk Alone” producer before her set at Palm Tree Music Festival to discuss her historic female-led headlining residency, favorite pre-show rituals, and memorable crowd interactions. Check out the interview below.

How does it feel to have your first residency in Ibiza?

I went to Ibiza for the first time 15 years ago. I was 18, a really little chicken, and I understood the hustle there because back then I didn’t have any money, and I was hustling. So, just getting around was a hustle, and getting into all the parties, the villa parties, and just learning how it works. It’s obviously amazing, but every single day of my life in the past six months has just been about, “How do we make this a success?” And we’re killing it.

There’s so many marketing levers. Everyone does business in a different way, so you gotta navigate so many layers of sh–. But then you have this incredible thing on the surface that looks amazing. You can feel that people were ready for something like this in Ibiza, because you always get a similar offering, but this is different. This is more intentional, more of a feminine energy, but gangster.

Did your first headlining Ibiza show feel different from any other set you’ve done?

Yes, because it’s ours and the beautiful thing is that it’s not just one week, it’s 11 weeks! So every week you can iterate. We have this blackout moment where we just fake that all the power goes out, and then that creates a moment of connection. Because that’s what we try to do with abracadabras. Bring more connection in little, tiny ways that aren’t obvious. Like, “Hey, guys connect now.” People start talking and you might meet someone. I’m on the dance floor hugging people all around, I acknowledge people, you know. That’s what the audience wants.

Any fun pre-show rituals before getting onstage?

There’s thousands of people out there, and everyone comes with a different mood, different energy. Everyone’s going through different sh–. I have to put on a little protection bubble out there because everything I do is energy. Everything is energy. So, I just make a little protective bubble around me. Do some Qigong, a five-minute little ritual where I could just reset and get grounded, so that the energy I put out is pure and is optimized and efficient as possible. And then I have a tiny sip of tequila, like a tiny kiss.

Which type of Don Julio tequila do you like best: Blanco, Reposado, Anejo?

The brown bottle. [Points at a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila.]

What’s your preferred way to drink tequila: neat, on the rocks, or a cocktail? If a cocktail, what kind?

I used to drink a lot of Mezcal because I lived in Tulum for a few years. That’s just the culture there, and then as I started touring more internationally, like Mexico, I switched to tequila. I love spicy margaritas. I like to feel like I’m in the deep jungles of Tulum at the best restaurant ever.

What’s a song that instantly transports you into a good mood?

There’s this NYPD mashup of Temper Trap that is really “housey” and has these big strings, and it goes down a fifth, and it just creates this crazy energy. I’ll play it today. I saw that it makes everyone else happy, so it makes me happy when everyone else is happy. I’m always doing music, so it’s more of a utility now for me. I have to get prepared for a show, I have to go dig for music, and then I have to play the music. So, when I’m not DJing, like, in the car, I’m not really listening to music. I appreciate the silence and listening to the sounds around me.

The word “energy” seems to be a really important term for you. How would you describe your energy?

Every single word we say has energy. You’re an energy, whatever those guys are doing over there, every decision we make, every single thing, every song, is a resident frequency. That’s kind of what I found to be the key to life. If you frame everything as energy, and you always ask yourself, “Does it take my energy? Is it giving me energy?” Then life starts to flow more. So that’s why I mentioned energy a lot, and that’s why I double down on it. So when you say, how would you describe your music? Yeah, I would just say it’s energetic, you feel an energy. I don’t want to overuse that word, but that’s exactly what it is.

When it comes to great energy, there’s always this close connection between you and the crowd. Sometimes they’ve asked for hugs or brought you a whole pizza during your set. What’s the most fun/memorable crowd interaction that you’ve experienced while DJing?

We had a bunch of people come to a show with tinfoil hats!

Tinfoil hats? Is there a meaning behind it?

There’s a lot of meanings, like people who are anti-system, people who don’t go with the norm of society but for this, it’s more about protecting yourself from magnetic energy.

How has your onstage presence evolved throughout your career?

It’s all inspired by the feedback I get in my comments and the DMs. Honestly, that’s where we create all the culture. I noticed when I reply to people in my DMs, I see how appreciative they are. I understood, oh, okay, people want to be acknowledged, even if I’m just making eye contact with them, copying their dance moves when I’m DJing. We try to understand these little moments of connection. They really appreciate the hugs.

What do you want fans to take away after experiencing your set?

I have a baby now. He’s almost 1, and to see his pure face, like pure happiness, makes me question, “Why do we lose that going through life?” So my goal is to bring us as close as we can back to that pure happiness. I just want people to live their best life. Through Abracadabra and my performances, all these seeds that we’re planting, and also through the music, I hope that everyone can open the road to living their best life.