Following the death of The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson at age 82 on June 11, the group’s catalog surged 184% in equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending June 12, growing to 31,000, according to Luminate. Plus, the act’s classic 1966 album Pet Sounds reenters the Billboard 200 chart — and at its highest rank in nearly 60 years.

Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

On the Billboard 200, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys, released in 2003, jumps 180-52 (15,500 units; up 71%) and Pet Sounds reenters at No. 136 (11,000; up 1,335%). For the latter, it returns to the chart for the first time since July 2015, and to its highest rank since Feb. 18, 1968, when it ranked at No. 110. It peaked at No. 10 in 1966 and is one of 13 top 10 albums for the group.

Overall on-demand official streams of the group’s songs increased by 126% to 26.7 million, while their collected songs sold 19,000 (up 1,132%). The act’s most-streamed song of the week was “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (2.28 million; up 78%), while the top-selling song was “God Only Knows” (4,000; up 3,382%). On the Digital Song Sales chart dated June 21, “God Only Knows” debuts at No. 7, while “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” the second-biggest-selling Beach Boys song of the week, debuts at No. 18.

“Woudn’t It Be Nice” reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, while its follow-up single, “God Only Knows,” hit No. 39 later that same year. Both are from Pet Sounds. In total, The Beach Boys boast 35 top 40-charted hits on the Hot 100.

The Beach Boys’ catalog also makes waves on the LyricFind U.S. and Global charts, where “God Only Knows” bows at No. 1. The LyricFind Global and LyricFind U.S. charts rank the fastest momentum-gaining tracks in lyric-search queries and usages globally and in the U.S., respectively, provided by LyricFind. The Global chart includes queries from all countries, including the U.S. The company is the world’s leader in licensed lyrics, with data provided by more than 5,000 publishers and utilized by more than 100 services, including Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Microsoft, SoundHound and iHeartRadio.

According to LyricFind, lyric searches and usages of “God Only Knows” jumped 1,238% in the U.S. and 1,519 globally week over week (June 9-15 vs. June 2-8).

The U.S. chart features five Wilson-penned songs in all, with “God Only Knows” followed by “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (No. 2), “Don’t Worry Baby” (No. 4), “Sloop John B” (No. 7) and “Good Vibrations” (No. 9).

Further increases for The Beach Boys catalog could occur in the tracking week ending June 19 (Luminate’s tracking week runs Friday through Thursday each week), after a full week of impact is felt following Wilson’s passing.

Additional reporting by Kevin Rutherford

R. Kelly’s lawyer says the disgraced R&B star and convicted sex offender was recently hospitalized after overdosing on anxiety and sleep medication in prison, attributing the event to a supposed jailhouse murder plot that prosecutors have dismissed as entirely made-up.

Kelly, who’s serving a 30-plus-year sentence for two federal sex crime convictions, has been petitioning a Chicago court for release since last week. Defense lawyer Beau Brindley claimed in an eyebrow-raising June 10 court filing that Bureau of Prison officials had tried to solicit another inmate to kill the singer (Robert Sylvester Kelly) to stop him from uncovering prosecutorial misconduct in his trials. Prosecutors deny that there’s any murder plot against Kelly.

Now, Brindley claims prison officials have tried another method of killing Kelly: administering the singer an overdose quantity of his medications while he was in solitary confinement last Thursday (June 12).

“In the early morning hours of June 13, 2025, Mr. Kelly awoke,” Brindley writes in a court filing from Monday (June 16). “He felt faint. He was dizzy. He started to see black spots in his vision. Mr. Kelly tried to get up, but fell to the ground. He crawled to the door of the cell and lost consciousness.”

Brindley says Kelly was taken from the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, N.C., to Duke University Hospital, where he was informed of the overdose. Kelly was hospitalized for two days to treat the overdose, according to the court filing.

To make matters worse, Brindley says, Kelly learned at the hospital that he had developed life-threatening blood clots in his lungs that required surgery. But Kelly was allegedly denied this surgery and taken back to Butner, where he was returned to solitary confinement without medical care.

“He could die from this condition, and they are letting it happen,” writes Brindley. “There is no legitimate explanation for that.”

Brindley’s court filing reiterates his request to have Kelly released to home confinement or temporary furlough, saying “his life actually depends on it.”

Prosecutors have called the allegations a “fanciful conspiracy” and “deeply unserious.” They also say the Chicago criminal court doesn’t have jurisdiction over the issue, and that it must be brought instead as a civil rights case or habeas corpus petition in North Carolina.

In response to Kelly’s latest claims about the alleged overdose and blood clot issue, prosecutors wrote late Monday, “This is the behavior of an abuser and a master manipulator on display.”

“This court should not allow Kelly to turn its docket into a grocery store checkout aisle tabloid,” prosecutors added.

Billboard reached out to Duke Hospital seeking to confirm the facts of Kelly’s hospital stay. A Duke spokesperson deferred to the Bureau of Prisons, which declined to comment on the matter.  

“For privacy, safety and security reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual, including medical and health-related issues,” said Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Scott Taylor in a statement to Billboard.

The motion to release Kelly from prison is scheduled to be heard by the Chicago judge on Friday (June 20). Meanwhile, Brindley has been publicly asking President Donald Trump to pardon Kelly.

Kelly was convicted in 2021 and 2022 at two separate federal trials, one in New York and one in Chicago, on a slew of criminal charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, child pornography and enticing minors for sex.

The former R&B star was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the New York conviction and 20 years in the Chicago case, although the vast majority of the second sentence will overlap with the first. Both convictions have been upheld on appeal.

Jon Dee Graham, the Austin guitarist and songwriter who played in the beloved local punk band True Believers, slipped and fell in 2021, and doctors apparently did not notice a crack in his spine. In early 2024, he had spinal surgery, and a six-month recovery period meant he could not make money from playing gigs. But the procedure didn’t take, and in April, he had another surgery, then developed an infection. Today, Graham, 66, lies in bed for hours every day, taking antibiotics every 12 hours that cause nausea and chills.

“We got a call from the IV company: ‘We need up-front payment in the thousands before we’re able to deliver the medication,’ ” says William Harries Graham, Jon Dee’s son, an architect and singer-songwriter who is overseeing his care.

Jon Dee has Medicare, but there are crucial coverage gaps — because the hospital discharged him, according to William, insurance won’t reimburse medication and other portions of his home care. So the family turned to the most reliable backup plan available to veteran, well-known musicians: fans. Jon Dee is also a painter, and William has been offering his artwork, comics and music through a zine-like Bear Cave Dispatch in exchange for online donations. It’s working — for now. “We were able to cover those initial medical expenses,” he says.

The guitarist’s story remains bleak — sepsis recently set in — but it speaks to the blessing-and-curse health-care reality that working musicians must endure as they age. As gig-economy workers whose incomes fluctuate across decades, independent artists often find themselves with few resources for medical costs beyond those covered by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare or spouses’ employer plans. And if medical issues prevent touring, artists often have zero income. But musicians such as Jon Dee and rockers Matthew Sweet and Jesse Malin, as well as the late David Johansen and Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen, have recently tapped into loyal, generous fan bases through crowd-sourcing sites like GoFundMe and other grassroots fundraising.

At recent concerts, Gang of Four founding drummer Hugo Burnham has returned to the stage post-encore to request that fans buy merchandise to offset costs for Allen’s family. (Allen died at his home in Portland, Ore., in April at 69 after a long struggle with dementia.) “It’s no secret the cost of medical care in the U.S. is an obscenity,” says Burnham, 69, who fractured a bone in his leg during the tour but is covered through his job as a college professor. “Had he lived anywhere else, there might not have been this terrible burden on the family. We all know the stories of people who have had to rely on raising money based on the kindness of strangers — and it’s not just musicians.”

Outside of the U.S. health-care system, musicians struggling with health care costs can tap into multiple resources — but they rarely come close to providing all the costs needed for severe, long-term health issues. After Chappell Roan demanded “a livable wage and health care” for artists during her acceptance speech at the 2025 Grammy Awards, music-business experts pointed out that musicians signed to major labels could access health-insurance plans provided by the SAG-AFTRA union for premiums comparable to the ACA.

In addition, Sweet Relief provides grants for artists and others in the music industry through fundraising concerts, donations and other resources. The 31-year-old nonprofit is a “stopgap,” according to executive director Aric Steinberg. In 2023, Sweet Relief helped Malin set up an online fundraiser when the veteran punk frontman suffered a paralyzing stroke in his back. “It’s unfortunate we have to exist,” Steinberg says. “Sadly, we’re busier than ever.”

MusiCares, a 35-year-old affiliate of the Recording Academy, raises funds through high-profile events like its Grammy Week Person of the Year benefit, which has recently honored the Grateful Dead, Motown Records’ Berry Gordy Jr. and Smokey Robinson, Joni Mitchell and Aerosmith. It has provided nearly $120 million in health-care assistance to musicians and music-business workers over time, including roughly $10 million overall to 9,000 people during the past year. “It is not unlimited support,” says Theresa Wolters, MusiCares’ interim executive director/vp for health and human services. “However, it is very, very substantial.”

These limits were evident to William, who says he has reached out to MusiCares on Jon Dee’s behalf for health-care funding with “no result.” Russell Carter, Sweet’s longtime manager, adds that MusiCares contributed funds for some early medical costs, but the charity has been “just one piece in the puzzle of solving his financial woes.” (A MusiCares representative says the charity can’t comment on artists it works with. Wolters adds: “We work within the realities of our nonprofit model and our commitment to equitable support across the community. In these instances, MusiCares is one part of the solution.”)

Sweet, 60, suffered a stroke last October while touring in Toronto. After leaving an intensive-care stroke unit in a Canadian hospital, he returned to his hometown of Omaha, Neb., and has received treatment in a rehabilitation program. Although he’s improving, particularly his speech, Sweet’s main issue remains “coordination,” Carter says, and he can’t walk or play guitar or keyboard. He also has vision problems and is “generally wheelchair-bound in his home.” In addition, Sweet’s wife recently broke her leg, forcing the family to hire a full-time nurse — which is not covered through the singer’s ACA insurance or early Medicare.

Since Sweet’s stroke, his GoFundMe has raised nearly $640,000, which, Carter says, “paid for what can only be described as exorbitant medical expenses.”

Sweet and his team view the crowdfunding not as an indictment of the U.S. health-care system but a mass validation of fan loyalty and colleagues’ affection. Sweet may not currently be able to tour, but his decades of touring are paying off. “Don’t dismiss the GoFundMe,” Carter says. “It’s a vehicle for fans to contribute. These are people that would spend $35 to see Matthew if he came through town in a second, and if they can spend $35 to help Matthew — clearly, they did it, instantly. They’re willing to give back. That’s a very positive thing.”

Lola Young, Jungle and Florence Welch are among the top winners at this year’s ASCAP London Celebrates Creators event, held on Tuesday evening (June 17) at The Shard in London. The ceremony is designed to celebrate ASCAP’s U.K.-affiliated talent for their success in the U.S. 

Continuing a breakout 12 months that have seen her score a Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Messy” (peaking at No. 8) and perform at Coachella, Young received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, which recognizes songwriters whose work is helping to shape the future of music.

Hucknall collected the ASCAP Golden Note award, marking 40 years of international success with pop band Simply Red. The Golden Note has previously been awarded to icons such as George Michael, Elton John and, most recently, Duran Duran in 2016. 

Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine fame was recognized for her contribution to Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy” alongside Isabella Summers, which was named winning streaming song. The track features an interpolation of Welch’s “Dog Days Are Over” and features Sexyy Red and SZA on vocals. It reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023, and also hit the summit on the Rhythmic Airplay chart. 

Josh Lloyd-Watson, Tom McFarland and Lydia Kitto of dance act Jungle were honored with the hot dance/electronic song award for “Back on 74.” The trio won group of the year at last year’s BRIT Awards, where they performed the track live at London’s O2 Arena. It marks Jungle’s biggest streaming hit to date, currently at 420 million plays on Spotify alone.

Following his ASCAP Vanguard award in 2024, Cian Ducrot’s co-writing credits on SZA’s “Saturn” led to him being honored for song of the year as well as top streaming song by ASCAP. 

Drum n’ bass artist Kenya Grace, meanwhile, took home the top hot dance/electronic song prize for “Strangers.” The track saw the 22-year-old become only the second woman in history to score a U.K. No. 1 with a single fully written, performed and produced by herself, following Kate Bush hitting the top spot in 2022 with “Running Up That Hill.” In 2024, the South Africa-born British-based singer-songwriter and producer received the ASCAP Global Impact Award, in recognition of her success in the dance music world. 

2025’s top box-office film awards went to composers Robin Carolan for Nosferatu; Geoff Barrow (of Portishead) and Ben Salisbury for Civil War; Christopher Benstead for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare; Daniel Pemberton for Fly Me to the Moon; Raffertie for The Substance; and Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist.

A full list of 2025 ASCAP London winners can be found on ASCAP’s website.

After giving media members an early listen to Let God Sort Em Out at Roc Nation HQ in NYC, Clipse returned to heat up the summer with the album’s second single on Tuesday (June 17) as the Pharrell-produced “So Be It” arrived.

Pusha T and Malice trade fiery bars over Skateboard P’s chiseled production, but a ton of eyeballs went to Pusha’s scathing final verse, which finds him sniping at Travis Scott.

“You cried in front of me, you died in front of me/ Calabasas took your b—h and your pride in front of me/ Heard Utopia had moved right up the street/ And her lip gloss was poppin’, she ain’t need you to eat,” Push raps in what appears to be a reference to Scott’s split from beauty mogul and reality star Kylie Jenner.

Billboard has reached out to Scott for comment.

Some speculated that the verse was about his former G.O.O.D. Music running mate, Ye (formerly Kanye West), but King Push confirmed to GQ that he had smoke for La Flame.

Pusha T explained that his issues with Scott were tied to the Cactus Jack rapper pulling up to Louis Vuitton HQ to play his 2023 Utopia album for Pharrell while Clipse was also working on their upcoming album.

“He’s like, ‘Oh, man, everybody’s here,’ he’s smiling, laughing, jumping around, doing his f–king monkey dance. We weren’t into the music, but he wanted to play it, wanted to film [us and Pharrell listening to it],” he recalled. “And then a week later you hear ‘Meltdown,’ which he didn’t play. He played the song, but not [Drake’s verse].”

Drake takes several shots at Pharrell on the track and says he’s going to melt P’s classic jewelry. “Melt down the chains that I bought from your boss, give a f—k about all of that heritage s—t,” he raps.

Having that verse on Utopia after playing the track for Pharrell didn’t sit right with Pusha T, as he feels Scott aligns with whoever when it’s convenient for him, but doesn’t stand by his loyalty to anyone.

“He’s done this a lot. He has no picks. He’ll do this with anybody. He did it with ‘Sicko Mode’… He was on the [Rolling Loud] stage like, ‘Play that, play that,’” Push said in reference to “Like That,” which sparked the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud. “He don’t have no picks, no loyalty to nobody. He’ll jump around whatever he feels is hot or cling onto whatever he feels is hot.”

Pusha T continued: “So, that’s where my issue comes in — like, dawg, don’t even come over here with that, because at the end of the day, I don’t play how y’all play. To me, that really was just like … He’s a whore. He’s a whore.”

Look for Let God Sort Em Out to drop on July 11. Watch the “So Be It” video below.