Record Store Day 2026 will honor a longtime record store enthusiast this year with its coveted Record Store Legend award. The 77-year-old recipient, born in West Bromwich, England, has been frequenting record stores his whole life, most recently visiting brick-and-mortar locales in West Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Austin, Texas. The vinyl-loving Englishman has even made a few albums himself over the years, releases you might find at a record store near you if you flip to the sections marked “Led Zeppelin,” “Robert Plant” or even his old covers band, “The Honeydrippers.”

Yes, Robert Plant—an eight-time Grammy winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and a Kennedy Center Award recipient—was announced as the 2026 Record Store Legend on Wednesday (April 8).

“Record stores have always been a part of my life. For me, once you get to the physical record it’s because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering,” Plant said in a statement. “And I know, as a guy who’s been making records since 1966, people want to take home something very special, to enjoy all the elements of what an artist has put together. We want a connection between the music and the art of the whole thing.”

In advance of the 2026 Record Store Day festivities on April 18, Plant visited the delightful Spillers Records—which Billboard profiled in 2023 as the world’s oldest record store—in Cardiff, Wales, where he now boasts a permanent Record Store Legend plaque.

“The universe already recognizes Robert Plant as a legend, as proven by the legacy of his decades of recording and performing,” Spillers Records’ Ashli Todd said in a statement. “But record shops of the world will know firsthand that above all, Robert Plant is a connoisseur of his craft whose appetite for musical discoveries has not waned with the passage of time. We could wax lyrical all day about what a passionate record shop supporter Robert Plant is, so suffice to say, it is our honor to be the chosen custodians of his Record Store Legend plaque.”

Record Store Day reliably has a celebrity ambassador each year—2026’s is Bruno Mars—but doles out the Record Store Legend award sparingly. Only Elton John and Johnny Marr have received it before.

You can watch a video of Plant’s visit to the legendary record store below and see what exclusives RSD 2026 has to offer on the organization’s website.

The new millennium had not yet begun when Juanes moved to Los Angeles with a few songs and the dream of starting a solo career after leading a rock band in Colombia called Ekhymosis. By 1999, just a year later, he had signed with Gustavo Santaolalla’s label, Surco, and by 2000 he released Fíjate Bien, his debut studio album.

Twenty-five years later, the Colombian rocker can look back and say he’s had a remarkable career — with its ups and downs. A winner of accolades that include 25 Latin Grammys, four Grammys and over 10 Billboard Latin Music Awards, Juanes is one of the most established and revered Latin artists of his generation, with Billboard chart-topping hits like “Me Enamora” (which led the Hot Latin Songs chart for 20 weeks in 2007) “La Camisa Negra” and “A Dios le Pido.”

He has also made it a point to support new talent, not only through collaborations — as is well known, Juanes was the one who introduced Rosalía to his then manager Rebeca León after being impressed by the young Spanish artist’s talent, sparking a fruitful six-year partnership. Additionally, he’s been a promoter of peace through humanitarian efforts such as the Mi Sangre Foundation, which he co-founded in 2006 with social entrepreneur Catalina Cock Duque.

And his creativity knows no bounds. Last month, the Medellín rock star released JuanesTeban, his 12th studio album — “a kaleidoscope of sounds that connects the intimacy of Colombian folklore with the power of rock,” as Billboard‘s Isabela Raygoza described it — with 16 songs that explore light and darkness, the essence of life. The album’s cover, created by Juanes himself, is a self-portrait that reveals a lesser-known side of the artist: that of a prolific — though until now private — sketch artist.

In a recent in-depth interview with Billboard Español, Juanes — now based in Miami — spoke via Zoom from his home about his new album, his family, his use of social media, his mental health and much more.

1. Congratulations on JuanesTeban, your 12th studio album. Where does this album find you in your life?

In my best state. I think this is the best version of myself. And I’ve found a clarity that I had lost long ago. Fortunately, today I’m in total connection with my essence, with my being, with my spirituality, with my life, with my family.

2. Tell me about the title of the album, which is JuanesTeban instead of Juan Esteban.

Well, my father used to call me Juanes, and my siblings and friends at school too, but Juan Esteban is my real name. I think after so many years, I understood that many personalities live within me. It’s like JuanesTeban is several people at once: he’s joy, sadness, anger, emotion, intellect, superficiality, materialism… Everything that has to do with me as a person and as an artist is encompassed in that name.

3. For this project, you also created the cover art, which is a self-portrait.

I studied industrial design at the Pontifical Bolivarian University [in my hometown of Medellin,] and I’ve always loved art and drawing. I’ve been sketching for many years, and I love drawing faces. I used to do it as a hobby on planes or at home on free afternoons. I really enjoy disconnecting from music sometimes and diving into drawing. Then Rafa Restrepo, my manager, saw me drawing during one of those flights, and he suggested we use it. We called two friends of ours who’ve worked with us on graphic design for many years, Camilo Londoño and Sebas Londoño, and that’s how we created the visual concept for the album. I love it because it shows a different side of how I express myself through art.

4. Any plans to showcase those drawings to the world?

I didn’t have any plans before, but now with the album, several people have asked me about it. So, of course, you start to think, “Should I do it? Should I not?” Honestly, I’d like to. Maybe later in life, when I have the freedom, calmness and mindset to say, “OK, let’s do this.” For now, I’ve got the drawings stored — there’s an incredible amount of them.

5. The album includes collaborations with both established and emerging talents. You’ve always supported new talent — from early backing of Rosalía to including a song by Joaquina in your album Vida Cotidiana (2023). Why is this important to you?

Because it’s what happened to me. I’ll never forget when Carlos Vives, for example, decided to support the band I was in, Ekhymosis. For me, that was incredible. I later understood that it’s something I should also do. It’s like keeping the energetic chain going: if someone helped me, it’s wonderful to be able to do the same for others. There are so many young, very talented people doing truly amazing things. That excites me.

6. A song on your album that particularly moved me was “Madre,” dedicated to your mother, whom you lost in September. Could you tell us a bit about the process of creating this song? And was it healing for you in any way?

The process of “Madre” was a long one. My mother lived to 95 years old, but the last three years were the most critical, and that’s when this started. I didn’t even plan to include it on this album; it was more like I was watching her deteriorate. I had already written her a song in my first album, “La única,” which was a declaration of love. During those last three years, I started crafting this song and made several versions. I didn’t like them, so I’d record it again, and then I’d change it here and there. Finally, with Nico Cotton producing, we arrived at this beautiful place for me — because it’s a nostalgic song, but it also has joy, with the percussion, the Colombian tiple, the Peruvian cajón. It has this Andean essence, and almost even Southern vibes, like a mix of chacarera and Colombian bambuco. I don’t know, it felt like we arrived at a magical place where I said, “My God, thank you.”

And the choruses and arrangement feel like a celebration of my mother and her existence. It’s the song I never wanted to write, so to speak, but I also find in music, as you said, catharsis and a way to heal.

7. Did she get to hear any version of it?

Yes! She heard this final version, and she was so happy. She loved it. She was always my No. 1 fan.

8. Each album is usually followed by a tour. What will the JuanesTeban Tour be like?

It’s going to be the best tour of my life. This tour is about the present moment and the full potential of all of us as musicians. With all the staging, lighting and production we’ve put together, it’s going to be incredible.

9. Moving on to more personal topics, you have a beautiful family, and we often see you together on your social media. Has it been difficult for you to share certain moments of your private life publicly?

You know what’s happened to me? When I didn’t share, I felt worse… like I was trapped. When I started opening up and talking about what I was really going through, I also began to heal. I realized that vulnerability is a strength, and that we are all more alike than we think. We all have problems — problems with our kids, with marriage, with friends, with work. It’s normal. Life isn’t perfect in any way. So I feel like finding the freedom to talk, for example, about depression — which I’ve struggled with since I was 14 or 15 years old — has been incredibly healing for me and has given me so much strength.

10. On your social media, we’ve also seen you exercising both alone and with your family. What’s been the key to staying physically and mentally healthy?

I’ve been through many phases, and even the dark and difficult moments have shaped me to be much better and calmer today. I think it’s a mix of things. I wouldn’t say it’s just about eating healthy or exercising… I was very chubby as a kid, and I suffered a lot because I was bullied. I started exercising a lot when I was 14 or 15, and it became an addiction. For me, exercising has even helped with depression. But of course, exercise led me to injure my knees several times, and in those dark and sad moments, I’d think, “I just want to feel better.” So I started letting go of habits that were harming me — like drinking too much alcohol. I learned to value sobriety. I love being sober, being present, eating as healthily as I can, reading a book, writing, drawing, playing sports, going to the movies. I don’t know, it’s about treating myself kindly. That’s really important in order to feel good.

11. And when it comes to family and work, how have you managed to find balance?

It’s also been very difficult. I’ve been through extremely tough times in our relationship. But I’ve been fortunate to have [my wife] Cecilia in my life because we love each other and have learned to give each other space, to learn and understand. She’s been an incredibly elegant and special woman with me through all of it, and I feel nothing but gratitude, honestly. So we look at our children, at the years we’ve shared, and we try to always remember where we came from and why we’re here. Hopefully, we can stay together for the rest of our lives, but I think relationships are always challenging. As kids grow up, you get frustrated because it’s no longer the same as when they were little. It’s crazy. It’s a big change, but that’s where maturity comes in. You mature, and love transforms into other things and there are other priorities. I don’t know — for me, it’s been beautiful because it’s been growth through both pain and joy. Not just celebration, but also difficult moments. I think that’s where we are, and we’re doing very well.

12. This year marks 25 years since your debut as a solo artist with the album Fíjate Bien. What do you remember most about that time?

So much. Especially my time in Los Angeles, because I arrived there with nothing — it was just an idea. I had the songs and the desire to do something, but I was fortunate to meet Marusa Reyes, who was Caifanes’ manager. Marusa connected me with Gustavo Santaolalla, Manolo Díaz and Universal, and that’s where it all began. Gustavo heard my demos, liked them, signed me to Surco, and it was like waking up in a perfect dream. It felt like I was walking on air. It was crazy. But it was also hard because radio stations at the time thought my music was too rock for pop and too pop for rock, so I was caught in the middle, fighting to find a place. But it was beautiful. I met Cecilia during that time. We even have videos. Just the other day, we were watching them with our kids. We were just kids ourselves! There I was, recording myself on the computer with my guitar while she was filming me.

13. In 2002, you achieved your first Billboard No. 1s with the mega-hit “A Dios le Pido” and the album Un Día Normal. What did that mean to you?

It was a before and after. With that album in particular, we started traveling literally around the world. From one day to the next, I’d have lunch here, breakfast there, and sleep in a different hotel. We toured everywhere. It was incredible. It was like that dream was starting to become a reality, you know? I was so happy, my soul was full. That was when everything really took off.

14. I’m going to say a series of words, names or titles, and I’d like you to tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Colombia.

Everything to me.

15. La Chechi (Cecilia).

Inspiration.

16. Fatherhood.

The best gift life has given me.

17. Fame.

Confusion.

18. “La Camisa Negra”.

Joy. Joy.

19. What’s your favorite place in Colombia?

Medellín.

20. In no more than five words, how would you define your career?

Better than I had ever imagined.

21. Well, that’s six words, but I’ll take it. What do you feel you still have left to achieve as a songwriter?

I’m always searching for the song I haven’t written yet. I don’t know what it is, but I’m chasing after it.

22. What’s the song you wrote the fastest?

I think “A Dios le Pido” might be one of those. “Odio por Amor,” too. It’s not that they were written quickly, but I felt a lot of clarity at that moment.

23. Do you feel any pressure to surpass yourself after everything you’ve accomplished?

That pressure has already come and gone, went around me three times and turned me upside down about 10 years ago. Right now, in this moment of my life, with this album, the previous one and what’s to come, I feel like I’m in a “free drawing” class. In other words, doing whatever I want, relaxed. And I like that a lot.

24. What song by another artist, in any language, do you wish were yours?

There’s a song by Fito Páez called “Un Vestido y un Amor.” I think it’s the most beautiful of all songs. Every time I listen to it, I say, “My God, I wish I had written that song.”

25. Where do you see yourself 25 years from now?

Hopefully, I’ll still be on a stage, in a studio — just like I see Juan Luis Guerra, Metallica, Mick Jagger, Rubén Blades and Miguel Bosé, because I admire them. I hope I have the strength and health to keep doing that.

Salt-N-Pepa is getting support from Irving Azoff’s Music Artists Coalition (MAC) in litigation with Universal Music Group (UMG) over rights to the iconic hip-hop duo’s catalog of hits.

MAC submitted an amicus brief on Tuesday (April 7) to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which is reviewing a lower court’s dismissal of the lawsuit brought by Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton against the world’s largest music company. The dispute stems from UMG’s refusal to revert the rappers’ master recordings after they exercised the so-called “termination right,” a tenet of copyright law that allows creators to claw back their intellectual property decades after signing it away.

A New York federal judge ruled in January that Salt-N-Pepa has no termination rights because the duo was not actually a party to any of its 1986 contracts with Next Plateau Records, which has since been absorbed by UMG. These deals were executed by the duo’s music producer, Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, and do not say anywhere that Salt-N-Pepa owned its songs.

MAC, the advocacy group founded by Azoff in 2019 alongside artists like Don Henley, Dave Matthews and Anderson .Paak, warns in its amicus brief that the lower court’s decision creates a dangerous roadmap showing record labels and music publishers how to hold onto copyrights past the termination window.

“This ill-conceived rule makes it trivially easy for publishers or distributors to evade termination: By transferring rights to a new entity and ensuring an author is neither a party to nor an executor of the new grant, publishers and distributors can entirely insulate themselves from an author’s enforcement of statutory termination rights,” reads the brief. “Accepting such a rule would render decades of negotiation and eventual compromise between authors and distributors — as codified in the 1976 Act — entirely meaningless, nullifying the hard‑won protections the 1976 Copyright Act affords authors.”

MAC, joined by writer advocacy group Authors Alliance and legal organization Public Knowledge, says Congress explicitly created copyright termination to address creators’ inadequate leverage and compensation early in their careers. The brief notes, for example, that Bob Dylan received only a $100 advance in his first publishing deal in 1962, and Bruce Springsteen signed away his entire catalog to a manager in exchange for just 3% of royalties in 1972.  

Also on Tuesday, the National Society of Entertainment & Arts Lawyers (NSEAL) submitted its own amicus brief in support of Salt-N-Pepa. Authored by the New Orleans-based music attorney who recently won a landmark appellate ruling on the global reach of copyright termination, the brief focuses on the “work for hire” exception to termination rights.

Under copyright law, work created in the scope of employment is not eligible for termination. Though the lower court did not focus on this exception in the Salt-N-Pepa ruling, NSEAL argues that the decision implicitly determined — incorrectly — that the rappers were working for hire in 1986.

“Inherent in the district court’s conclusion that there was no ‘transfer of copyright ownership’ by Denton and James, is a determination that the subject recordings were ‘works made for hire,’” writes NSEAL. “Respectfully, making that determination without any factual development or legal explanation was reversible error, and the case should be remanded.”

Salt-N-Pepa’s lawyer, Richard Busch, praised both briefs in a statement to Billboard: “That these amazing groups of the top people in the industry filed these amicus briefs speaks volumes not only to the strength of this appeal but to its importance to all artists in the music industry.”

A rep for UMG did not return a request for comment on the amicus briefs on Wednesday (April 8). The company’s own appellate brief is due next month.

Ryan Castro and Gangsta earn their first No. 1 on Billboard’s overall Latin Airplay chart as “La Villa,” with Kapo, jumps 2-1 on the chart dated April 11. Kapo adds his fourth champ.

“‘La Villa’ was born from a real vibe, from a party with Kapo, all organic, nothing forced,” Castro tells Billboard. “When music comes out like that, big things happen. This No. 1 means a lot to me and to the fans who have been with me since day one.”

“La Villa” incorporates a sample from Jamaican dancehall artist Sister Nancy’s 1982 song “Bam Bam,” whose chorus is itself inspired by the 1966 track of the same name by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, featuring Toots and The Maytals. Both Castro’s “La Villa” and Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” draw from the instrumental “Stalag Riddim”—the oft-sampled reggae rhythm—originally created for Ansell Collins’ 1973 track “Stalag 17,” which was produced by Winston Riley.

“La Villa” was produced by Colombian Gangsta, who previously earned a No. 1 as producer on Latin Airplay through Maluma’s “11 PM” in 2019 —both Sony Music Latin releases. “La Villa” jumps 2-1 after an 15% growth, to 8.8 million audience impressions in the week ending April 2, according to Luminate.

“It is an honor to reach this No. 1, not just as a producer but also as a standout artist,” Gangsta, born Pedro Juan de la Ossa Medrano, adds. “This is a song that, like all our music, was born genuinely and with strong musical identity because it combines the best of two genres: dancehall and Afrobeat, which we call Afro dancehall.”

The Colombian producer of Latin Afrobeats, dancehall and Caribbean music has been instrumental in crafting most of Kapo’s hits. Among those, three Latin Airplay top 10s: “Ohnana” peaked at No. 2 in November 2024; “Uwaie” reached No. 5 in March 2025; while Kapo’s previous Castro pair-up, “Dónde,” stretched to No. 8 in January.

While Castro and Gangsta celebrate their first No. 1, Kapo adds his fourth chart-topper, dating to Danny Ocean collaboration “Imagínate,” “Más Que Tú,” with Ozuna, and “Luna,” with Wisin —all in 2025.

The popularity of “La Villa” extends beyond the U.S. The song spent six weeks atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 and the Billboard Colombia Hot 100 charts between January-April.

Stateside, the success of the song continues, as it lands atop Latin Rhythm Airplay and rises 6-5 on the Latin Rhythm Songs list.

Following the U.K.’s decision to ban Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) from entering the country ahead of a scheduled appearance at London’s Wireless Festival in July, the festival announced Tuesday (April 7) that it had canceled the event entirely. The annual festival was originally slated to take place July 10-12 in Finsbury Park, with Ye announced as the headliner for all three nights.

The U.K. government had confirmed to the BBC earlier Tuesday that Ye would be unable to enter the U.K. on an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) visitor visa (the U.K.’s new entry visa for U.S. visitors), with The Home Office stating, “His presence in the U.K. would not be conducive to the public good.” 

While the ETA allows a person to come to the U.K. for up to six months, they cannot do paid or unpaid work for a U.K. company or as a self-employed person unless they are doing a permitted paid engagement on the Creative Worker visa concession. The Creative Worker visa is what is typically used by foreign performers. 

Festival Republic Limited, which promotes Wireless Festival and is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, said in a statement, “The Home Office has withdrawn Ye’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is canceled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.

“As with every Wireless Festival,” the promoter continued, “multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time.” 

Live Nation and Wireless Fest did not respond to Billboard’s request for comment.

But where does the cancellation leave the festival, and how does it affect its stakeholders — from Festival Republic, to Ye, to other artists on the bill?

With the government stepping in and denying Ye’s visa, the circumstances likely qualify as force majeure, which is a contractual provision freeing parties of obligations due to unforeseeable or uncontrollable events, several sources tell Billboard. That would mean Wireless Festival does not remain responsible for remaining artist payouts and wouldn’t owe Ye any money for the cancellation. No other artists had been publicly announced for the festival, but if deposits had been paid to acts who had signed deals to play the event, artists would likely be able to hold on to them.

Still, because a full lineup hadn’t yet been announced, it’s also possible that further acts hadn’t yet been confirmed — meaning deposits wouldn’t have gone out, and Wireless Festival would not be on the hook for paying them.

Others, however, disagree with the contractual element being at play. “I don’t think in [the case for other confirmed acts] it would be a force majeure,” says Jarred Arfa, executive vp and head of global music at Independent Artist Group. “It has nothing to do with [the other artists on this bill] that the headliner cannot get into the country. Usually, Live Nation gives 10% deposits, so depending on the act and the leverage, you can walk away with that. If you’re a bigger artist, maybe you could command more.” 

In a way, a cancellation four months ahead of the event makes things simpler for Wireless Festival than if it had canceled closer to its set date. Ultimately, it had only put a fraction of the total amount of money into the festival that it would have, and the build at the festival site wasn’t yet underway. 

“I think [the festival] will probably just be able to skip [a year],” Arfa says. “I’m sure there were some marketing dollars spent, but I think ultimately, it’s more incremental costs at this point, and nothing crazy. If they come back next year, it’s all about the lineup and who’s on it. I think they have enough of a brand that they could bring it back successfully.” 

Last year, Drake served as the headliner for all three nights of Wireless Fest, curating the rest of the event’s lineup, which included performances from Burna Boy, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Summer Walker and Vybz Kartel. Further previous editions included Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, J Hus and Doja Cat in 2024; Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and D-Block Europe/50 Cent in 2023; and Dave, Cardi B and J. Cole in 2022. 

Still, despite its reputation, even if Wireless had wanted to forge ahead with an event this year without Ye, it would have been extremely difficult to execute. “It’s hard in a short period of time to get one headliner replacement, let alone three,” Arfa adds. “Also, it’s about generating the excitement that he did. I’m sure there were a lot of people excited to go see Kanye. If you go to another run-of-the-mill headliner, I’m not sure people will be excited for that. Last year, they did three nights of Drake, and that went over huge.” 

While artists will likely be able to retain their deposits (as those are typically non-refundable, unless contract language says otherwise), the future of the festival could still be in question. A brand is only as strong as its last show, and this year’s events could lead to hesitancy in bookings for 2027, sources say. 

For Wireless Festival itself, insurance likely will not cover the costs of the cancellation. With Ye’s controversies well-known (his song “Heil Hitler” was released in May 2025), Paul Bassman, managing director of insurance firm Higginbotham, where he specializes in entertainment, tells Billboard, “I don’t think it’s insurable. I don’t know the circumstances of how it was placed, or when it was placed, but I don’t think they could have gotten that done. I think they just ate it.”  

While each of the festival’s half-dozen sponsors pulled out of the festival prior to its cancellation, production vendors, staging and marketing likely had costs committed early, and those may not be recoverable. 

“Whether it’s the venue working with catering, security, all of those things that go into putting on a big event like Wireless Festival, there are going to be contracts,” says Angela Kennedy, a partner in the Insurance Coverage Litigation group at Armstrong Teasdale. “It’s not always a cut-and-dry question of whether an act of a government is force majeure.

“The arguments I’d be making if I were on the other side is, well, Kanye didn’t make those statements after you booked him,” Kennedy says. “He made these statements a long time before he was booked, and that risk hasn’t changed. I think there are arguments on both sides, which is why it’s an interesting and novel question.”