On the eve of the fan-centered CMA Fest, Billboard put the focus on country’s movers and shakers with a June 3 Country Power Players party that saw five artists and executives honored with awards that recognized both a new generation of talent and the predecessors who set the table for them.

Tucker Wetmore received the rising star award during the event at Category 10 in Nashville. Red Clay Strays took the groundbreaker award, Riley Green earned the hitmaker award, and The Neal Agency founder Austin Neal collected executive of the year. Miranda Lambert received the icon award.

The hand-me-down nature of the format, which sees the music evolve as new classes of artists and business people emerge, was most evident in Neal’s emotional acceptance of his honor. His father, retired WME partner Kevin Neal, handed off the executive trophy to Austin, acknowledging that Kevin’s own father, the late Bob Neal, was Elvis Presley’s first manager.

As a third-generation construct, The Neal Agency started as a boutique agency, but with a roster that includes Green, Morgan Wallen, HARDY and Ella Langley, Kevin noted, “it’s no longer a boutique agency.”

Green received his hitmaker hardware from Clint Black, a key figure from a previous generation who Green cites as one of his strongest influences. Like Black, Green writes the bulk of his own material while remaining firmly rooted on the traditional end of country’s spectrum. Appropriate to tradition, he paid a nod to his grandparents at the podium.

HARDY hailed Wetmore as a hard-working man reaping the benefits of his dedication, and comedian Matt Rife introduced Red Clay Strays’ mix of country, rock and blues as “a timeless sound that sends us back to music’s golden age at a time when the world sometimes feels like it’s lost its soul.”

Red Clay frontman Brandon Coleman paraphrased another comedian, Eddie Murphy, while embracing their improbable rise: “It’s not a row boat, it’s a sailboat. We’re not looking at a destination and just being like, ‘I’m going to go there and I’m going to achieve this.’ We’re just in a sailboat going where the wind takes us, just trying to be honest and authentic along the way.”

Songwriter Tom Douglas (“The House That Built Me”) celebrated Lambert as an artist who’s “rugged enough to weather whatever this town brings and generous enough to let the young ones stand on her shoulders.”

Lambert confirmed her desire to share her knowledge.

“I’m trying to lift up the next generation,” she said, “because country music is my life. It’s what I’ve dedicated my entire adulthood to.”

Go here for the Country Power Players list.

25 Years Ago

Once Upon A ‘Twice,’ Kenny Chesney Made A Youthful Run At No. 1

The Country Music Hall of Fame member’s single referenced another Hall member’s chart-topper

Most people fall in love more than once during their lifetime, but one thing holds true for everyone: Falling for the first time can only happen once.

That’s the gist of Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Happen Twice,” which took him to No. 1 for the fourth time in his career on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart dated June 9, 2001. Young romance was definitely a thing for Chesney in that part of his career — 1995’s “Fall in Love” became his first top 10 single, and his early successes also included “Me and You”; his first No. 1, “She’s Got It All”; and six-week chart-topper “How Forever Feels.”

Songwriters Thom McHugh (“Holdin’ Heaven,” “Life Goes On”) and Curtis Lance drew the opening line of the “Don’t Happen Twice” chorus — “We sang ‘Bobby McGee’ on the hood of my car” — from Lance’s own romantic memories. They paid homage in the process to Kris Kristofferson, whose “Me and Bobby McGee” rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after it was covered by Janis Joplin.

“Don’t Happen Twice” followed “I Lost It,” which peaked at No. 3 on Hot Country Songs, as the two new singles pulled from Chesney’s Greatest Hits, which emerged as his first package to lead Top Country Albums on Oct. 14, 2000. Chesney has amassed 23 total No. 1s on Hot Country Songs to date and sent an additional 10 titles to the summit on Country Airplay. He joined the Country Music Hall of Fame last October — that’s another thing that just don’t happen twice.

David Harbour has finally addressed Lily Allen‘s searing West End Girl album, which delves into the breakdown of their four-year marriage that singer has implied was due, in part, to the actor’s alleged infidelity.

In a Variety interview published Wednesday (June 10), Harbour opened up about the “weird” experience of having his personal life dissected by strangers after the British pop singer’s LP dropped in October, which the article notes led to him having a “frightening mental health emergency” exacerbated by his struggles with bipolar disorder. “I do believe that it is the privilege of every artist to use their experience to create art, and so I respect her for doing that,” the Stranger Things star began.

“I can’t really say that much more,” he continued, “because it’s my private life. In spite of the fact that a lot of people don’t allow me a private life — I value it. And I also value the lives of the people that I interact with privately. I just won’t speak about that … Stories are complex. That’s why I say I respect her creation of art to channel her experience. It wasn’t my experience.”

Through blunt songs such as “West End Girl” and “Madeline,” Allen narrates the deterioration of a relationship from start to finish, beginning with her ex-husband resenting her for landing a lead role in a West End play and asking for an open relationship during her time acting overseas. She then describes how that partner allegedly violated the terms they’d agreed upon for hooking up with other people, calling him a “sex addict” on “Pussy Palace.”

The project earned Allen more critical acclaim than she’d garnered in years, reaching No. 10 on the Top Album Sales chart. “It’s viscerally like going through the motions,” the musician told Interview in October, noting that some of the LP “is based on truth, and some of it is fantasy.” “At the time, I was really trying to process things, and that’s great in terms of the album, but I don’t feel confused or angry now. I don’t need revenge.”

The aftermath of West End Girl‘s release looked a lot different for Harbour, who revealed in his conversation with Variety that he “had a breakdown” after it dropped. “I do suffer from some confusing stuff — it’s confusing as hell,” he explained. “I think a lot of people have a friend or a brother or a coworker that deals with mental health stuff, and they’re probably pretty confused when that person gets depressed or gets manic or has an episode.”

“Under times of extreme stress, that can cause somewhat erratic behavior, and it’s embarrassing, and I’m ashamed of it,” he continued. “It’s not something I choose, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy … it can also force me, in moments of extreme stress, to act a little weird.”

As for those stories that his Stranger Things costar Millie Bobby Brown had filed a harassment and bullying report against him on set of season five, which emerged shortly after West End Girl dropped, Harbour said they were overblown. “It was just a simple rupture-and-repair thing that,” he explained of what went down with the young actress. “Once we cleared everybody out of the way and talked to each other, we’re fine.”

“You’ll see more of me and Millie — 10 years wasn’t enough,” he also hinted. “There is a special bond there. I love her. She loves me.”

Allen and Harbour tied the knot in 2020 after meeting on the dating app Raya. News of their separation came in February 2025, shortly after the singer had shared with podcast listeners that she was struggling with her mental health and disordered eating.

She’s now in much better shape, having embarked on a tour supporting West End Girl in March. She’ll continue the trek through the summer and fall, with the last date set for Nov. 1 in Perth, Australia.

For most of the last decade, it’s been a rarity for new rock bands to cross over to the Billboard Hot 100. Yet, Temper City did just that — and not only as an unsigned band, but with its first-ever release.

“Self Aware,” a fraught-relationship anthem with echoes of 2010s alt-rock hitmakers Cage the Elephant and The Neighbourhood, almost immediately became a viral hit for Temper City following its release in early 2026. It spread like wildfire on TikTok and ultimately cracked the Hot 100 in April (and reaches a new No. 72 high on the June 13-dated chart). The song gained traction so quickly, with Temper City such a new act and so little information about the group widely available, it invariably led to the question: Who the hell are these guys, exactly? 

Temper City is an L.A.-based trio of Israeli writer-producers: Eytan Peled, Chen Kordova and Aviv Barenholtz. All three have extensive industry experience working with international artists across genres, ranging from Canadian-bred EDM mainstays Zeds Dead to English alt-rock radio hitmaker Barns Courtney — and occasionally recording for their own artist projects with Kordova and Barenholtz working together as a producer duo and Peled as a singer-songwriter. 

“We met over the past five years creating music for other people,” Peled says, explaining that the three of them would spend about six months each year coming to L.A. for studio work. “We did a lot of stuff for video games, pop artists, dance [acts], TV shows … really all the behind-the-scenes, in-the-session grind kind of [stuff].”

As the trio spent more and more time working together, they realized they might have something more to offer in front of the decks and on the stage in their own right. A full-band lineup unfolded naturally for the writer-producers, with Peled singing, Kordova on guitar and Barenholtz drumming.

“Our chemistry and our connection through making music led to us deciding to start a band together,” says Peled. “We all love indie rock … So we said, ‘This time, when we’re coming to L.A., we’re going to focus only on our artist stuff.’ ”

As they gathered in late 2025, “Self Aware” came about very early — and largely by happenstance — for the newly formed trio. “The day that we made ‘Self Aware’ is the day that an artist didn’t show up to a session,” recalls Barenholtz. “I think it was the second [song we ever did together.]” 

By the time Temper City started teasing “Self Aware” to its socials in January, it already had recorded most of its prospective debut album, with grand designs of how to roll all of it out. But the immediate response to the song snippet sped up the trio’s timeline considerably. “We filmed a bunch of content for all of the songs,” says Kordova. “We didn’t really expect [“Self Aware”] to be that big that quick.”

The band estimates it took around 80 meetings with different labels before ultimately signing with indie Thirty Knots in February. Three days after the ink dried, the official release of “Self Aware” arrived and quickly took over TikTok with its relatable, singalong lyrics and nostalgic alt-rock sound. In the months since, it has climbed to a No. 72 high in eight weeks on the Hot 100 and to No. 8 on Hot Rock Songs chart. The success also led to Temper City signing with Full Stop Management.

“We were very intentional in the early stages of marketing on TikTok to discover who was consuming the record and why they were consuming it,” says Peter Rugo, co-founder of Thirty Knots. Specifically, he says, the team sought out new seasons of popular TV shows, sports-adjacent moments in key markets and creators in specific regional areas. “We were able to target a wide variety of cultural trends [and] communities that were raising their hands and converting to consumption on DSPs. Reacting to what was working in real time on the platform allowed us to consistently refine and optimize our approach.”

With rock in general majorly on the upswing on the Hot 100 since early in the year, the timing of Temper City’s alt-rock sound harkening back 10 or 20 years proved even more fortuitous. Stars from the 2010s like The Neighbourhood and Twenty One Pilots have been out on some of the biggest tours of their careers — and paving a lane for acts like Temper City, too.

“We kind of feel that with the rise of [artificial intelligence] and all of that technology, people are trying to go back to the original sources of music — and live music,” says Kordova of why audiences might be gravitating more to rock in 2026. Peled adds: “As producers and songwriters, we’ve been in the studio, really seeing AI and everything becoming so incorporated with the way people create music. And it’s almost [become] like an anti-movement … this project we made has no AI in it whatsoever, just us playing in the room, and very raw, raw energy.”

Temper City plans to bring that “raw, raw energy” to rooms across the country with a mini-tour starting in June, along with festival dates at Milwaukee’s Summerfest and Austin City Limits, and an opening slot on star singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi’s October show in Milan. Currently, the trio is holed up together in a house in the Topanga community of Los Angeles, which Peled describes as having “tree house kind of vibes,” prepping for those shows — along with a longer headlining tour they’re planning for near the end of the year. “For us, the live [aspect] is really the main focus in this project,” Peled says. “We really want to make sure that the music translates.”

In the meantime, the group already has its debut album finished (outside of some last-minute mastering) and hopes to have it out in time for its bigger U.S. tour toward the end of the year. From there, Full Stop Management’s Adam Harrison hopes Temper City — who has reached a No. 27 high on the Billboard Global 200 with “Self Aware” — can go international, with plans already mapped out through 2028 for its expansion. “This feels like a worldwide band,” Harrison says. “We should be in Europe by the beginning of next year; we should be at festivals next summer; we should be seeing the rest of the world.”

“Artists who have been in the industry prior to their breakout moment have had the opportunity to build up resilience,” adds Nathaly Pacheco, Thirty Knots label director. “We find that they are generally more prepared for the work that comes after the first big win. You can see that with Temper City. They are excited by what is happening, but they are not treating it like the finish line.”

This story is part of Billboard’s Global World Cup Series, a collection of 11 cover stories which pairs top soccer stars across the world competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with highly-touted musicians in accompanying countries.

In just a few days, the eyes of the world will turn to Toronto and Vancouver for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At the center of that global spotlight stands Alphonso Davies, captain of the Canadian men’s national team. 

Though he’s battling through injuries and may miss the beginning of the tournament, the 25-year-old soccer star is a perfect encapsulation of the young and scrappy host team and the country they represent. He’s stylish and energetic, easy to root for, but not just happy to be here. He wants to win. He wants to show the world that Canadians aren’t just hockey-playing nice guys. They can be ruthless. They can win. And, as with globally popular artists like Drake and Justin Bieber, they can be the drivers of worldwide sport and culture. 

“A lot of people underestimate us Canadians,” Davies says.

Born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled the civil war in Liberia, the player known affectionately as Phonzy has already lived many lives. His family immigrated to Canada when he was a young child, and he settled in Edmonton, Alberta when he was 5 years old. By the age of 15, he was a budding star on Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the first-ever player born in the 2000s to play professionally in the North American MLS league. Soon, he was transferred to Bayern Munich in Germany, where he has won seven Bundesliga titles — the most recent coming less than two months ago, after recovering from recent hamstring and ACL injuries and an earlier diagnosis of myocarditis (heart inflammation).

Beyond the pitch, Davies is one of the most popular players in the world. He has more than 6 million followers on TikTok and more than 5 million on Instagram, and is often surrounded by music — afrobeats like Burna Boy and Davido, drill hip-hop like Tee Grizzley and Moneybagg Yo, and countrymen like Drake, who he got to know personally after attending his concert in Germany in 2025 (see our interview with Drake producer and Canada Soccer Music Ambassador Boi1da for more on that here). With high-profile fashion brand deals and friendships with online stars like iShowSpeed, he’s a star of the modern runway that is the arena tunnel, an occasionally drill rapper, and a man that everyone wants a piece of — especially now. 

Billboard Canada caught up with Davies to talk about the importance of music to him and his game, his favorite artists, his own forays into music and what he hopes the world will learn about Canada this summer.

You’re usually the guy picking the music before a game. How did that start?

One time after a couple of years at Bayern Munich, the team was staying in a hotel outside of Munich. I called my agent and asked him if he could pick up a boombox and bring it to the hotel. I jumped in and started playing my tunes, and from that day I kind of became the locker room DJ.

How important is music to you before a match?

I listen to a lot of music [before the game], just to clear my head so I can play the game of football, the game that I love. Being able to see the pitch before, knowing the atmosphere, knowing the calm before the storm, how it feels, that’s important too.

Do you have a favorite song that helps lock you in?

I don’t really have a favorite song, but I do listen to a lot of Drake. Him being Canadian and making good music, I listen to him a lot. But having a specific favorite song, I don’t really have just one. Just something that gets the tempo up, knowing the football that I play is very intense, each and every game. It helps get my mind clear and my brain focused for the game.

You released a hip-hop song last year called “München My Throne” to announce you were re-signing with Bayern Munich until 2030. Why was it important for you to announce the news through music?

That was a funny one. When I re-signed, the Bayern Munich media team decided to get a little studio and record a song. If you really listen to it, it’s not really my voice. I was just doing the adlibs and talking in between. But it was a cool idea because I love music. I love listening to music, and I dip and dabble in making music as well.

You released the drill track “Nur Weil” as part of Stugang alongside fellow Bundesliga stars Alexis Fambo and Stephan Mensah, and you’ve teased some other songs. When did you start experimenting with making your own music?

I’ve always had a passion for music. After becoming a professional football player I was exposed to the fashion world and to the music industry. I believe fashion and music along with football bring people together.

Recording and making music [myself] really started in Covid in 2020. Not being able to play football and staying at home for so long, me and my friends just decided to just make some music in my basement, record it and drop it and see where it goes. And yeah, I fell in love with that. And no, I don’t make music anymore. I think that time is done. My music career is over … for now. 

Who are the musical artists who inspire you most?

I listen to a lot of Tee Grizzly. I think I like his flow. I like what he talks about in his music, his story. And also Moneybagg Yo. Everything about those guys, the way they rap, the way they tell the story throughout the songs is very nice and they make it catchy as well. I think those two guys will be up there. And also Drake, as well.

What does it mean to you to represent Canada at the World Cup? 

It means a lot. Being able to go to the World Cup in 2022 with Canada for the first time in so long, it was a very touching moment. I shared that moment on social media when we made it, during my heart problem, my myocarditis. But playing at home in the World Cup in Canada will be amazing — not just for me, but for the whole country. Also for the players playing on the pitch to open our home, open Canada to the world and see how Canada really is. 

What do you hope the world will see about Canada when the games are hosted in Toronto and Vancouver? 

A lot of people underestimate us Canadians. A lot of people see Canadians as very nice. I mean, we are nice, but I think they see us over-nice. [They don’t see us] as being ruthless, having that grit between our teeth, being that team on the pitch that does anything to win. But stepping on the pitch, I think we can show the world that we can play football too. It’s not just ice hockey or baseball or basketball. To show the world that will be truly amazing. 

You were born in a refugee camp in Ghana before coming to Canada, and now you’re based in Germany. How has being Canadian inspired how you are as a person and as an athlete?

I vaguely remember our transition from Ghana. I was very young at the time. But my identity as a person and as an athlete developed in Canada. I loved playing all sports and I even tried hockey, but football was what I loved the most. It was not an easy journey, there was a lot of hard work, but I had good people around me to support me — from my parents to my former youth coach and now my agent, Nedal Huoseh.

Becoming a UNHCR goodwill ambassador was influenced by my family’s struggles as refugees. Taking on this role was important to inspire other refugees that anything is possible. 

What do you miss most from home in Canada when you’re in season in Germany or on the road? 

The number one thing is not the snow. I don’t miss the snow at all. But I do miss my family. My family is still [in Canada]. Not being able to see them every single day and only being able to call them six months out of the year, or see them one out of ten days out of the year, is tough. So, I miss my family, and just being in the environment of Canada. Tim Hortons, all that Canadian stuff, I miss it. But not the snow. Definitely not.