Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

This week, Linkin Park is back with a new frontwoman, Halsey suffers a hard-earned ego death, A$AP Rocky is swagged out on his way to church, Camila Cabello makes a return trip to Magic City and much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below.

Linkin Park, “The Emptiness Machine”

Yes, Linkin Park are back — with a new tour, a new singer, and a new single, “The Emptiness Machine.” You can read all about the story behind their remarkable comeback here, including how they connected with frontwoman Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara, and you can hear the first sounds of the partnership now with the hard-charging “Machine.” If longtime fans were worried the band’s new lineup would feel too far removed from their classic sound, they should be pretty easily won over by the time of the new song’s chorus, which could not feel more textbook LP as Armstrong belts: “Let you cut me open just to watch me bleed/ Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be/ Don’t know why I’m hopin’ for what I won’t receive/ Fallin’ for the promise of the emptiness machine.”

Halsey, “Ego”

With an October 25 release date now set for her The Great Impersonator album, Halsey is giving fans at least one more advance taste of the new LP with this week’s “Ego.” The dizzying pop-rock blast is absolutely prime Halsey, a lyrically frenetic plea to “go back to the beginning, when it all felt right… didn’t give a f–k if I was winning,” with a brutal refrain admitting “I’m really not as happy as I seem… I’m really not that happy being me.” It’s a welcome reminder that 10 years into their career, Halsey remains one of the most vital songwriters and performers in either pop or rock.

Megan Thee Stallion feat. RM, “Neva Play”

Following the exciting LP releases from both earlier this year — Right Place, Wrong Time in May and Megan in June — RM and Megan Thee Stallion link up for the first time this week for the one-off “Neva Play.” The song’s speeding-up geiger counter of a beat prompts both artists to keep coming harder, as Megan spits “Money talks, and it’s my first language,” and RM meets her with “We just bossin’, pour out the sauces in the face of the big bosses.” The all-star collab has an anime-inspired music video, because of course it does.

A$AP Rocky feat. J. Cole, “Ruby Rosary”

The slow drip of new songs from A$AP Rocky’s upcoming Don’t Be Dumb continues with the slow piano creep of the Alchemist-produced “Ruby Rosary,” with the rapper spitting about his jewel-encrusted religious necklace and generally phenomenal swag (“They ain’t seen drip like this since Rick the Ruler”). Last year’s assist king J. Cole also comes through for a guest verse, but don’t ask him for him to repeat his previous highlights: “When they ask for the old you, ignore ’em,” he advises. “Goin’ backwards is borin’, b–ch, and I’m not Michael Jordan, I don’t do the retro.”

Camila Cabello, C,XOXO – Magic City Edition

Camila Cabello released fourth solo album C,XOXO back in June to somewhat mixed critical and commercial reaction — though even its biggest critics would have to admit the album was pretty interesting, if nothing else. It’s even more fascinating now in its extended Magic City Edition reissue, which tacks on four new songs, including the pulse-racing “Baby Pink,” the frisky “Can Friends Kiss?” and the thundering now-closer “Godspeed.” These new pieces don’t necessarily make the C,XOXO puzzle feel complete, but they do make the final image even more sprawling, weird and beautiful.

Fred again.., Ten Days

Prolific U.K. dance sensation Fred again.. released three installments in his Actual Life LP series in about an 18-month period over 2021 and 2022, but it’s been almost two years now since his latest full-length. The (very minor) drought is now over with this week’s release of Ten Days, with a loaded guest list featuring Sampha, The Japanese House, Anderson .Paak, country legend Emmylou Harris and of course, supertrio producer buds Skrillex and Four Tet. Like Fred’s previous albums, it’s a huge album built around small moments, like Irish singer-songwriter SOAK admitting of a revelatory romantic experience, “I remember thinking to myself… don’t you dare get used to this,” on early highlight “Just Stand There,” or the producer himself singing “You’re further away now than you used to be/ But darling I saw you and you saw me” on album centerpiece “I Saw You.”

Kane Brown has been chosen to receive the Country Champion Award at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards. The show, hosted by Shania Twain, is set to air live on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

Wynonna Judd received the Country Champion Award at last year’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards.

“Since the beginning of his career, Kane Brown has ensured that his legacy will extend beyond music,” Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “His dedication to empowering and supporting younger generations is nothing short of inspiring, and we’re thrilled to honor him with the Country Champion Award.”

Brown, 30, has amassed 11 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and three on Hot Country Songs. He has had two No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums and one on the Billboard 200.

Brown’s awards shelf is a little bare for someone with so much success. He has won two ACM Awards (video of the year for “Worldwide Beautiful” and an ACM International Award), but he has yet to win a CMA Award (despite four nods) and has yet to even be nominated for a Grammy.

As previously announced, Miranda Lambert is this year’s other honorary award recipient. She will receive the Country Icon Award, which went to an ailing Toby Keith last year.

Winners are chosen entirely by fans at the People’s Choice Country Awards. Voting is now closed. Performers and presenters for this year’s show will be revealed in the coming weeks. A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.

The 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner. 

The “Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards” red carpet event will kick off the night at 6 p.m. ET/PT on E!. That pre-show is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Ignjatovic, Prager and Bialkowski.

Its Sabrina Carpenter for the win on Australia’s charts as Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds enjoy the top album debut.

Carpenter’s sixth studio album and first leader, Short n’ Sweet, extends its stay at the ARIA Chart summit for a second week, in doing so denying Nick Cave a homegrown leader with Wild God, new at No. 2.
It’s the alternative lock legends’ 14th ARIA top 10 album, and the followup to Ghosteen, which peaked at No. 2 in 2019. Nick Cave’s 2021 collaboration with Dirty Three leader Warren Ellis, Carnage, also reached No. 2.

Cave has collected eight ARIA Awards for his solo or group work, took out top spot in 2013 with Push The Sky Away, and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007.

Billie Eilish completes the podium with Hit Me Hard And Soft, up 4-3.

Oasis’s hyped 2025 reunion tour has been a hot story in Australia, where live dates have yet to be announced. That excitement spilled over with the 30th anniversary edition of the Britpop-era heavyweights’ debut album Definitely Maybe, which enters the top 10 for the first time, at No. 10. Definitely Maybe peaked at No. 23 in 1994, according to ARIA.

Meanwhile, the Manchester rockers’ sophomore album from 1995, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, blasts back into the top 40, flying 71-27.

Oasis has impacted the ARIA Albums Chart Top 50 with nine titles, including a five-week stretch at No. 1 in 1996 for Morning Glory and for one week in 1997 with Be Here Now. Their last studio album, 2008’s Dig Out Your Soul, peaked at No. 5 in Australia.

Carpenter completes the chart double as “Taste” reigns for a second week on the ARIA Singles Chart, published Friday, Sept. 6. “Espresso,” meanwhile, stays hot at No. 2; “Please Please Please” is at No. 4, and Carpenters lands a fourth top 10 on the latest frame, as “Bed Chem” improves 11-10.

With the chart-topping successes of “Espresso,” “Please Please Please” and “Taste,” the U.S. singer and actor has logged five total weeks at No. 1 so far in 2024, more than any other female artist.

Halsey is giving fans another preview of her highly anticipated concept album The Great Impersonator with her new single, “Ego,” which officially dropped on Friday (Sept. 6).

The track, inspired by the ’90s, was first teased during her live show at KOKO in London on Aug. 14.

“I’ve been teasing a new song for the past couple of days. You guys are the first people in the world to hear it… lowkey even before some of the people who work at the label,” Halsey told the crowd before performing the track live for the first time.

“Ego” continues Halsey’s exploration of different musical eras. In a snippet shared online ahead of the release, Halsey sings, “I think that I should try to kill my ego/ ‘Cause if I don’t, my ego might kill me.”

The single is the fourth from The Great Impersonator, set to drop on Oct. 25. Halsey has described the project as deeply personal, saying, “I made this record in the space between life and death, and it feels like I’ve waited an eternity for you to have it.”

Earlier this week, Halsey launched a global scavenger hunt, leading fans to uncover time capsules around the world, each revealing variant covers of the album.

The Great Impersonator will mark Halsey’s fifth studio album and her first since 2021’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Stream Halsey’s “Ego” below.