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.

The holidays are here and Walmart has unveiled some of its top trending picks for the season.

In addition to a host of everyday gifts for the whole family, Walmart’s latest “gift finder” has turned up some bestselling celebrity products and musician-approved offerings.

From Snoop Dogg’s surprisingly stylish clothing line to Sabrina Carpenter’s favorite fragrance and a leopard print pick from Sofia Vergara, here’s a look at some of the best celebrity brands and gifts to pick up at Walmart right now.

Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Sabrina Carpenter Caramel Dream EDP Fragrance Gift Set

She may have sung about “Espresso,” but Sabrina Carpenter’s new fragrance features notes of caramel, dark chocolate, tangy citrus and almond. It’s sweet and a little spicy — just like the singer herself.

This Walmart deal gets you a three-piece set that includes the eau de parfum in a candy bar-shaped bottle, a mini travel size perfume and a lip gloss.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Ariana Grande Moonlight Gift Set

Of course, Carpenter isn’t the only starlet with her own perfume line — Ariana Grande has been super successful with her line of fragrances, including this “Moonlight” scent, which features notes of blackcurrant, plum, peonies, sandalwood, vanilla and “fluffy marshmallow.”

This two-piece gift set gets you a body mist and “body soufflee” cream for just $15.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Squishmallows Plush Wicked Glinda

$14.97

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Grande is currently starring in Wicked of course, and among all the Wicked merch online is this official Squishmallows collab, which features a plush version of Grande’s character, Glinda.

This plush toy measures 10 inches in height and weighs just under a pound. This is currently one of Walmart’s bestselling holiday gifts, with more than 500 people having bought this in the last 24 hours alone, per the Walmart site.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

OPI Nail Lacquer, Wicked Nail Polish Duo

$12.50 $23.99 48% off

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Speaking of Wicked, Walmart has this nail polish set with shades inspired by the movie. Choose a magenta shade inspired by Glinda and a green shade inspired by Elphaba. The shimmery colors are perfect for a Wicked viewing party or for dressing up for the holidays. OPI says the nail lacquers dry fast and are streak-free. This set comes in a collectible box with images from the movie too.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Dolly Parton x Lodge Cast Iron Seasoned Skillet

$24.90

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Dolly Parton released a cookbook this fall and recently released a meal kit collab with Home Chef. Now, aspiring cooks and Dolly fans alike can take to the kitchen with this Parton-approved cast iron pan.

The 10.25-inch skillet comes pre-seasoned with vegetable oil and is an officially-licensed release from the singer. Made in Tennessee, the pan is great for home ovens and stoves, or for cooking over the campfire.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Martha Stewart Martha on the Mantel

$24.98

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Speaking of cooking, Martha Stewart is joining Snoop Dogg in releasing her own version of the popular “Elf on the Shelf” doll. “Martha on the Mantel” is a 10.5-inch posable doll that you can put on your shelf, table and yes, fireplace mantel too.

This boxed set gets you the plush Martha doll plus a set of accessories for you to dress up the TV host and her surroundings.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Hello Kitty Mini Fridge

$29.98

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From one icon to another, Hello Kitty celebrated her 50th anniversary this year, and Walmart has this Hello Kitty mini fridge available for gifting this holiday season.

The pink mini fridge has enough room to store up to six cans of soda (on their side) or a couple bottles of water (standing up). You can also use it as a beauty fridge to store all your skincare essentials and prevent them from going bad in the heat or sun.

This is an officially licensed Sanrio product and shoppers are loving it, with reviewers giving this Hello Kitty fridge almost full, five-star reviews.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Beautiful 9 Qt TriZone Air Fryer

Drew Barrymore’s home and kitchen brand, “Beautiful,” has gone viral for its aesthetic appliances and decor items for every budget and living style. One of the bestselling products is this nine-quart air fryer, which features two different cooking zones to let you prep two things at once.

Inviting friends over for a big holiday meal? The Beautiful Air Fryer can fit up to a 10-pound turkey when the interior basket is removed, with a temperature range up to 450°F. Choose from seven different colors, including this soft lavender shade seen here.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

W By Jake Paul Body Wash

$7.97

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Guys will want to stay fresh with this new body wash from Jake Paul’s “W” skincare brand. The exfoliating and hydrating body wash is infused with jojoba oils for moisture, and an invigorating scent of lemon trees, green apple and fresh mint.

Walmart says all of the products in the “W” line are personally tested and approved by Paul, and given that the YouTube star recently got sweaty in the ring with Mike Tyson, we’ll take his word that this body wash holds up to daily use. A bonus: the 532 ml yellow bottle makes a great stocking stuffer too.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Sofia Vergara Home Classic Leopard Throw Blanket

Sofia Vergara’s Walmart clothing line has been a huge hit thanks to its wide range of bold colors and inclusive sizing. Now, fans of the actress can get the same maximalist look with this leopard print throw blanket, which looks great on the bed or couch.

The polyester-blend blanket measures 50 x 60 inches and is fully machine washable. It’s great for staying cozy by the fireplace or on the couch while watching your favorite Christmas movies. At just $18, it’s a great celeb-approved gift idea too.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Jessica Simpson Women’s Courtney Faux Leather Satchel Handbag

$19.99 $34 41% off

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Walmart is home to Jessica Simpson’s bestselling clothing and accessories collection, which the site says combines “Cali boho” with “Texas charm.” Nowhere is that better represented than with this trendy satchel handbag, which features a slouchy silhouette seen on the arms of all the celebs in Hollywood, but with an under-$20 price.

Made from a eco-friendly vegan leather, this “Courtney” handbag features zipper and buckle detailing, tons of space for your stuff, and an adjustable strap that lets you carry this as a tote, as a shoulder bag or as a crossbody. Choose from three colors.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Dogg Supply Paisley Fleece Varsity Jacket

$12.01 $26.98 55% off

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Snoop Dogg’s official clothing line at Walmart includes this super stylish varsity jacket, which features a paisley print with collegiate-style striping and button up closure. The lightweight jacket can be worn open with a T-shirt in the summer or closed as a layering piece in chiller temps. An embroidered Snoop Dogg logo on the arm offers a little branding without being too over the top. This is a great celeb-approved holiday gift idea for men. Choose from sizes XS to 3XL.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

Yellowstone Adjustable Snapback Trucker

$11.98

Buy Now

Yellowstone is one of the hottest TV shows of the year, and Walmart has this official Yellowstone Dutton Ranch trucker hat on sale for just $12. The cap features the show logo on the front with a pre-curved bill. The mesh back allows for breathability (no sweaty noggins here!) while an adjustable tab lets this fit most head sizes.


Best Walmart Celebrity Brands 2024: Top Products to Shop, Gift Ideas

HMD Barbie Phone

$129.99

Buy Now

Barbie merch was huge last holiday season and the juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down this year, with the release of the HMD Barbie Flip Phone, a retro-style device that works as a real cell phone.

The Barbie Phone comes in an iconic pink colorway and features two removable covers, stickers and a pendant with rhinestones and charms. The phone doesn’t have social media but does come with “digital wellbeing tips,” a beach-themed Malibu Snake, and a “Hi Barbie” voice to welcome you as you turn on the device. Everything is presented inside a keepsake jewelry box.


Dolly Parton wants to give you the chance to slip into her fabulous footsteps. On Thursday (Dec. 5), the country icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer announced an open internet casting call for her upcoming Broadway show, Dolly: An Original Musical.

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“Hey there, it’s Dolly, and I am so excited to share some big news with y’all,” she said in a video announcing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “As you may have heard, my life story is coming to Broadway… and now, I’m announcing the search for Dolly. Now, whether you’re chasing your dreams from a small town or you’ve spent years performing on stages across the country, I want to give you the chance to help me bring my story to Broadway — and maybe even play me. This show is a celebration of my music, my life and all the amazing people who’ve been with me along the way.”

Parton, 78, stressed that the call was truly open to anyone. “We’re looking for talented performers who can capture the spirit of my journey, whether you’re an experienced theater professional or an undiscovered gem with that little special something.”

A select few will get to audition in person in front of the show’s casting director, with all interested performers encouraged to go to dollymusical.com to submit an audition, as well as post their audition online using the hashtag #SearchForDolly. “So what are you waiting for? This might be your big moment!” Parton said.

Back in June, Parton announced the musical — which was then referred to as Hello, I’m Dolly: An Original Musical — which she said was set to open in 2026. “I tried for years, how to do my life story and make it make sense. I needed to write some original music. I’m hoping you’re gonna laugh and cry,” Parton said at the time of the show that will featured her best-known songs as well as new ones penned for the musical.

Watch Parton’s casting call video below.

Chris Martin and Coldplay are giving all their love to Dick Van Dyke on the legendary performer’s 99th birthday.

On Friday (Dec. 6), the rock band unveiled a short-film-style music video for its Moon Music ballad “All My Love” focusing on the Hollywood icon’s life and career as Van Dyke celebrates his last double-digit trip around the sun. Directed by Spike Jonze and Mary Wigmore, the seven-minute visual shows the Mary Poppins star limberly dancing in a suit and bare feet, showing off his infectious sense of humor and offering up musings about his personal journey in between shots of Martin playing piano.

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“I’m acutely aware that I could go any day now,” Van Dyke says at one point while looking back on old family photos and heirlooms from his expansive filmography. “But I don’t know why, it doesn’t concern me. I’m not afraid of it. I have that feeling — totally against anything intellectual I have — that I’m gonna be all right.”

The project was filmed at the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actor’s house in Malibu. Toward the end, he’s joined by his extended family, who applaud and give the patriarch hugs during the track’s high point.

On Thursday night, Martin and Van Dyke appeared side by side on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to share how the video came together. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t know who he was,” Van Dyke told Kimmel about the call to make the video with the band. “I didn’t know who you were,” Martin quipped back with a big smile. “I said, ‘we’re looking for an old guy. Who’s the oldest guy?’”

Martin then admitted that he’s a “super fan” of the Hollywood legend and revealed that Van Dyke is (kind of) a neighbor and one day a few years ago he invited the legend over for breakfast. In fact, the singer then busted out what he said is his one and only impression: the dry laugh that Van Dyke did as old banker Mr. Dawes in Mary Poppins, which cracked the actor up.

“This really may be the most fun thing I’ve ever done. It makes me so grateful,” Martin said. “It’s a big deal for me.”

A shorter version of the visual will arrive Dec. 13, the date Van Dyke officially turns 99.

The day prior, Coldplay will make its performance debut at the Billboard Music Awards live from the band’s Music of the Spheres World Tour stop in Australia. The “All My Love” music video comes about two months after Coldplay dropped its 10th studio album, Moon Music, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Ariana Grande has been in the spotlight for more than half of her life. In an interview with YouTube personality Sally this week, the Wicked star got very candid about what that has felt like, specifically how it feels to constantly have strangers evaluating and judging her body. And, in a super honest moment, she had a simple message for people who do that.

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“There’s a comfortability people have with commenting on that [my body] that I think is really dangerous. And I think it’s dangerous for all parties involved,” she said, as her Wicked co-star, Cynthia Erivo, held the singer’s hand and comforted her as she appeared on the verge of tears while answering a question about the struggle for women to live up to society’s exacting, often unreasonable, beauty standards

“I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been a specimen in a petri dish since I was 16 or 17, so I have heard it all,” Grande said. “I’ve heard every version of it… of what’s wrong with me. And then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons. But that’s everything from – even just the simplest thing – your appearance, you know?”

Grande, 31, said it’s hard to protect yourself from that noise and it’s uncomfortable no matter where you experience such pressures. “Even if you go to Thanksgiving dinner, and someone’s granny says, ‘Oh my God, you look skinnier! What happened?’ or ‘You look heavier! What happened?’” she said. “That is something that’s uncomfortable and horrible no matter where it’s happening… and I think in today’s society there’s a comfortability that we shouldn’t have, at all, commenting on other’s looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes, or health, or how they present themselves.”

Getting animated, Grande said those kinds of judgements about what women are wearing and how their bodies and faces look are “dangerous.” She counted herself lucky to have a good support system that allows her to “know and trust that I am beautiful… but I do know what the pressure of that noise feels like… I just don’t invite it in anymore. It’s not welcome. I have work to do. I have a life to live. I have friends to love on, I have so much love and it’s not invited.”

She added that however you have to block that noise out, whether it’s deleting a toxic social app or blocking trolls online, “you keep yourself safe. Because no one has the right to say s–t!”

The latter comment drew a clap from host Sally, as well as an “amen” seconded by Erivo. “Can you tell I needed that today?” Grande said with a smile as Erivo grabbed her arm and displayed yet another example of the way the two women have openly supported and big-upped each other during the exhaustive press tour in support of the hit movie musical which has already rolled up $372.9 million in ticket sales so far.

Grande has spoken before about fans’ concerns over her appearance, including in a TikTok video last year in which she had similar thoughts about people’s concerns about her body.

“I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies — no matter what. If you think you’re saying something good or well-intentioned, whatever it is. Healthy, unhealthy, big, small, this, that, sexy, not sexy, I don’t… We just shouldn’t. We should really work towards not doing that as much,” she said at the time.

“But I also just wanted to say one, there are many different kinds of beautiful,” she added. “There are many different ways to look healthy and beautiful. I know personally for me, the body that you’ve been comparing my current body to was the unhealthiest version of my body. I was on a lot of anti-depressants, and drinking on them and eating poorly, and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my ‘healthy.’ But that, in fact, wasn’t my healthy. I know I shouldn’t have to explain that, but I do feel like maybe having an openness and some sort of vulnerability here, something good might come from it.”

Check out Grande and Erivo’s interview with Sally below.

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.

Country music’s biggest stars are shining bright this holiday season with the 15th annual CMA Country Christmas special. Hosted by Grammy winners Amy Grant and Trisha Yearwood for the second year in a row, the variety show brings together country singers and gospel singers to celebrate the Christmas season.

While it originally aired on ABC this week, you can now watch CMA Country Christmas online through Hulu. The streaming service has CMA Country Christmas available to stream on-demand for all subscribers, as part of its “Huludays” festive lineup.

Log into Hulu.com with your account details to start watching all the performances from CMA Country Christmas online. Not a subscriber? Hulu’s latest promotion gets you up to one month of access to the streaming service for free, with no commitment. Your free trial lets you watch all of Hulu’s on-demand shows, movies and specials from your TV, computer, tablet or phone (via the Hulu app).

Sign up for Hulu’s free trial here. Plans start at just $9.99/month after your trial period is up. See full details here.

CMA Country Christmas features a cavalcade of artists performing both Christmas classics and new festive hits. Grant and Yearwood team up to perform “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” and Grant’s 1982 Christian hit, “Sing Your Praise to the Lord.” Grant also performs “Tennessee Christmas,” while Yearwood takes on a Christmas medley.

The lineup of performers also includes FOR KING + COUNTRY and Carin León, who team up to perform “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” while recent CMA winner Cody Johnson performs “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

Ashley McBryde and Brittney Spencer team up to perform “Man With The Bag,” Jon Pardi sings “400 Horsepower Sleigh,” and Gospel legend CeCe Winans takes the crowd to church with a spirited rendition of “Joy to the World.”

This is the 15th year that CMA Country Christmas has been broadcast. Filmed in Nashville in front of a live audience, the holiday special is an official production of the Country Music Association.

Watch CMA Country Christmas on-demand now on Hulu.

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.

The new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, doesn’t hit theaters until Christmas Day, but hype for the new movie has propelled a seven-year-old audiobook about the singer back onto the charts.

Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties was originally released in 2017, but the audiobook has returned to the top of Audible’s music charts on the heels of the upcoming film release.

'Dylan Goes Electric:' Read Bob Dylan Audiobook Ahead of Biopic Film

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Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties

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Written by music historian and journalist Elijah Wald (and narrated by Sean Runnette), Dylan Goes Electric follows the uproar that ensued after Dylan took the stage at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 backed by an electric band, rather than his usual acoustic setup. Kicking off his set with an amplified version of “Maggie’s Farm,” Dylan then roared into his rock and roll hit, “Like a Rolling Stone,” much to the chagrin of what the book describes as “folk purists and political activists who had hailed him as their acoustic prophet.”

Dylan Goles Electric traces the genesis of that performance and tracks the resulting fallout from the show, described as “a mix of shock, booing, and scattered cheers.” The singer did not return to the Newport Festival for 37 years after that night. Was Dylan indebted to the folk community for making him their star? Or did the artist have free reign to explore his musical independence and blaze a bold new path?

As Wald writes in the book, “It was the shot heard round the world – Dylan’s declaration of musical independence, the end of the folk revival, and the birth of rock as the voice of a generation – and one of the defining moments in 20th-century music.”

The publisher notes, meantime, write that “Wald explores the cultural, political, and historical context of this seminal event that embodies the transformative decade that was the sixties,” diving “deep into the folk revival, the rise of rock, and the tensions between traditional and groundbreaking music to provide new insights into Dylan’s artistic evolution.”

Dylan Goes Electric is available now on audiobook for $15 through Amazon. But you can listen to the book for just $0.99 as part of a new Audible deal, that gets you three months of access for just $3. Offer ends December 31 so we recommend signing up for the Audible promo while it’s still live. See full details here.

The Dylan Goes Electric audiobook has a run time of 11 hours and 56 minutes. The Timothee Chalamet-led A Complete Unknown, meantime, hits theaters December 25.

Sabrina Carpenter is set to headline BST Hyde Park in 2025, marking another milestone in her meteoric rise to pop stardom.

The “Espresso” singer will take center stage in London on Saturday, July 5, with special guests Clairo and beabadoobee joining her on the iconic Great Oak Stage.

Additional acts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can grab tickets starting Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 10 a.m. GMT. Tickets can be purchased here. For those with an American Express card, an exclusive presale began on Dec. 6 and runs until 9 a.m. on Dec. 11.

This announcement comes on the heels of Carpenter’s landmark year, during which she earned six Grammy nominations and garnered praise from peers like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. Notably, Swift recently called her “the pop princess of our dreams” after the two collaborated on an acoustic mash-up of their songs during Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) release event.

BST Hyde Park has become synonymous with iconic performances, and Sabrina’s inclusion solidifies her status as one of pop music’s brightest stars. She joins an already stellar lineup of headliners, including Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Zach Bryan, and Hugh Jackman.

Carpenter’s appearance at BST Hyde Park will be part of a busy year for the singer-songwriter. She is also set to headline Primavera Sound alongside Charli XCX and Chappell Roan and will embark on the U.K. and European leg of her tour, featuring Rachel Chinouriri as a special guest.

The tour begins at Dublin’s 3Arena on March 3 and includes stops in Birmingham, London, and Manchester. Adding to the excitement, Carpenter recently announced her upcoming Netflix holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas, premiering Dec. 6. The special boasts a star-studded guest list, including Chappell Roan, Tyla, Quinta Brunson, and Cara Delevingne.

Sabrina Carpenter has been rewriting chart history in 2024. She became the first solo artist, and only the second act after The Beatles, to achieve two simultaneous top-three hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her singles “Please Please Please” debuted at No. 2, and “Espresso” peaked at No. 3. Additionally, she became the first woman in Billboard Hot 100 history to have three songs (“Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste”) in the Top 10 for five consecutive weeks, surpassing Cardi B’s previous record of four weeks.

Carpenter also achieved a Billboard 200 milestone with her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, debuting at No. 1. The album sold 362,000 equivalent album units in its first week, marking her first album to top the chart.

Taylor Swift has wrapped up an early Christmas gift for fans, reclaiming the No. 1 spot on the ARIA Albums Chart with The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.

The festive season begins in earnest as the chart’s Christmas edition sees Swift’s dominance coinciding with the return of holiday classics like Michael Bublé’s Christmas and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas, adding a seasonal sparkle to the final stretch of 2024.

Swift’s album, buoyed by the release of vinyl and CD versions, jumps from No. 14 to reclaim its throne for a sixth non-consecutive week. This marks Swift’s 16th week at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart this year, thanks to the success of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, Lover, and The Tortured Poets Department.

Meanwhile, Michael Bublé’s Christmas makes its annual return, landing at No. 15, continuing its streak as a perennial festive favorite. First released in 2011, the album has spent a total of 15 weeks at No. 1 and remains a yuletide staple.

Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas also re-enters the chart at No. 100, with her holiday anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You” making its yearly resurgence on the ARIA Singles Chart, re-entering at No. 7.

Rosé and Bruno Mars hold steady at the top of the ARIA Singles Chart with “APT,” which notches its fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1. The track continues its reign as Bruno Mars enjoys a record-breaking run on Spotify, where he became the platform’s most-streamed artist last month with over 126 million monthly listeners, surpassing The Weeknd’s previous record of 120.7 million.

Other holiday hits are also making their move. Wham!’s “Last Christmas” returns at No. 11, with additional classics from Brenda Lee, Ariana Grande, and Kelly Clarkson climbing the charts as the festive season heats up.

Juice WRLD makes a splash on the Albums Chart with The Party Never Ends, debuting at No. 17. The posthumous release features collaborations with The Kid LAROI, Fall Out Boy, Nicki Minaj, and Eminem, marking the rapper’s fourth Top 10 ARIA album since his untimely passing in 2019.

For the full list of chart-toppers, visit ARIA.com.au.

Horst Weidenmüller, the CEO and founder of !K7 Music, has been recognized with the prestigious IMPALA Outstanding Contribution Award for his impactful work in the European independent music sector.

The accolade coincides with the upcoming 40th anniversary of !K7 Music, which Weidenmüller established in 1985.

At IMPALA’s recent board meeting, the organization highlighted Weidenmüller’s near four-decade career and pivotal role in advancing the independent music industry. !K7 Music began as a music video production company in Berlin before evolving into a multifaceted label known for its groundbreaking DJ-Kicks series, launched in 1993, and its roster of sub-labels such as Strut Records, 7K!, and Ever Records.

Beyond his label’s success, Weidenmüller has been a staunch advocate for sustainability and inclusion in the music industry. As a long-time IMPALA board member and the founder of its Sustainability Task Force, he spearheaded the development of a bespoke carbon calculator for labels, in partnership with Julie’s Bicycle, Merlin, and Murmur. He also helped establish IMPALA’s Business Case for Sustainability, emphasizing the financial benefits of environmentally conscious practices.

Under his leadership, !K7 Music has been certified as a B Corporation, reflecting its commitment to high standards of social and environmental responsibility. The company actively supports community initiatives, including a collaboration with Ernst-Reuter-Schule in Berlin, where students learn music production, marketing, and distribution.

“Horst is a force of nature, lifting all those that work with him,” said Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA. “His work as vice-president of the IMPALA board already set down an early marker, which was cemented when he founded our sustainability task force four years ago.”

Peter Quicke, co-chair of IMPALA’s Sustainability Task Force and managing director of Ninja Tune, added, “Horst doesn’t just talk about sustainability; he takes action. His pragmatic approach has made !K7 a model for how independent labels can lead by example.”

Expressing gratitude for the award, Weidenmüller said: “I am touched to receive IMPALA’s award. !K7’s culture and values translates into all of my work, whether it is across music, sustainability, inclusion or digital and beyond. My mission with IMPALA is an extension of that, as is securing our status as a certified B-corps business. This is a shared journey we are on, where the independent sector underlines time and time again that we are leaders.”

“That is something I am super proud of. Thanks to all the IMPALA board members!”

Smino released his fourth studio album Maybe in Nirvana on Friday (Dec. 6) via his independent label Zero Fatigue.

“I actually just said ‘maybe in nirvana’ in one of the songs — but honestly, it was an album I was being indecisive about putting out. And I was just like … when I’m in a place where I’m at peace with my mind, you know, I’d be able to put this album out,” he told Billboard in a recent interview, adding that he made the album in 2020, two years before he put out his last studio album Luv 4 Rent. “I was just being very honest and very blatant about my emotions. It was like single-era Smee, you know? So, I was having my little roster, talking about, you know, just being — basically, I was just wilding. The music still sounds grown though… a kid in a grown man body, that’s what it sounds like.”

The rapper also revealed that the intro of the 11-track project, “Dear Fren,” is his favorite because it’s “the most personal one. I wrote a letter to my grandma and to my little cousin, who both aren’t here anymore. They passed away,” Smino said. “But I think everybody’s favorite song is ‘Tequan.’ Because it’s tequila and wine, and that’s ‘Tequan.’”

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Maybe in Nirvana arrives two years after Luv 4 Rent, which included collaborations with J. Cole (“90 Proof”), Doechii and Fatman Scoop (“Pro Freak”), Cruza (“Louphoria”), Kal Banx (“Matinee”), Lucky Daye and Phoelix (“Modennaminute”), Cory Henry and Ravyn Lenae (“Settle Down”), Lil Uzi Vert (“Pudgy”) and reggie (“Lee & Lovie”). The 15-song set reached No. 28 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 50 on the Billboard 200.

Listen to Maybe in Nirvana below.