Spotify has discontinued its viral charts. Instead, popular internet songs will now only be showcased on Spotify’s Viral Hits chart, which is curated by human editors based on observing its behind-the-scenes metrics that indicate popularity.

The now-discontinued viral charts were an algorithmically-based series of charts, including some specific to countries, that automatically reflected surges of activity on the platform. Beyond that, little is known about what exact criteria qualified a song for these charts. A source close to the matter says that there were concerns that the viral charts did not accurately represent songs with true popularity on Spotify and posit that the Viral Hits chart could allow Spotify more control over which songs are worthy of this highlight.

To date, there are three iterations of the Viral Hits editorial charts, including a general version and region-specific ones for the UK/Ireland and Japan.

In recent months, the Spotify viral charts were common places to find charting AI-assisted songs, including “I Run” by HAVEN. — which used AI vocals — “We Are Charlie Kirk” by Spalexma, and multiple songs from Sienna Rose. It is unclear whether this trend of AI tracks on the chart was part of the reason why the viral charts were removed.

In a statement to Billboard about the decision to discontinue the viral charts, a representative from Spotify said: “Spotify has retired its viral charts as part of an ongoing effort to focus on features that best reflect how listeners engage with music today. Listeners can continue to discover trending music through Spotify’s Top Charts and editorial playlists, including our ‘Viral Hits’ playlist.”

The news comes just a week before Spotify’s Investor Day, and after a series of new product roll outs from the Swedish streaming company. This includes verification badges for human profiles and Artist Profile Protection to safeguard artists’ accounts on the platform and AI credits, which allow artists to disclose AI use in the music making process. The company has also recently rolled out SongDNA, expanding song credits in a more playful, interactive way.

After Drake revealed his father was battling cancer on Iceman‘s opening track “Make Them Cry,” Dennis Graham clarified to TMZ that it was in the past and he’s doing fine these days.

Paparazzi tracked Graham down early Friday (May 15) outside Jubilee in West Hollywood, where he was asked about his health. “No, that was a while back,” Graham said. “I’m OK now. I’m wonderful.”

It’s not clear when Drake recorded the track. Billboard has reached out to Drake for comment.

Drake’s dad also stated that his “phone’s been going off all night” after the diagnosis was revealed by his son on Iceman. The 71-year-old had a message of appreciation for the OVO fans’ concerns. “Thank you guys for the concern, I love you all. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate you,” he continued.

Fans initially heard Drake make the revelation on the Iceman episode four livestream on Thursday night (May 14), before the album found its way onto streaming services at midnight Friday. Iceman wasn’t the only Drake album to arrive, as he surprised the world with another pair of projects titled Habibti and Maid of Honour.

“My dad got cancer right now/ We battling stages/ Trust me when I say there’s things I’d rather be facing,” he vulnerably admits on “Make Them Cry.”

Earlier in the track, Drake appears to get candid about his relationship with his father, which isn’t the typical father-son connection, as he looks at him more like an “older brother.” “I have to father my mother and treat my son’s grandfather like my older brother,” he raps.

As for Dennis Graham’s health, his cancer seems to be under control. He told the pap in the video shared by TMZ, “It was lung cancer at first … but fortunately, I got a message that it disappeared,” Graham revealed. “So here I am.”

Iceman serves as Drake’s ninth studio album, and he’s got another two LPs to stand alongside the project to boast 43 tracks in total and a runtime of more than two-and-a-half hours.

Listen to “Make Them Cry” below.

UPDATE (May 15): Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday (May 15) that it was “very pleasant to meet” U2 members Bono and The Edge the previous day at an event for the General Assembly of the Street Child World Cup in Mexico City. During her meeting with the musicians, the president asked them to “continue collaborating together.”

Sheinbaum stated in her daily press conference that she proposed to the musicians to implement in Mexico an initiative similar to one the rock band supports in its native Ireland to steer young people away from vulnerable environments. “I told them: ‘Why don’t we talk to see if a similar project can be promoted in Mexico?’” she said.

PREVIOUSLY (May 14): U2’s visit to Mexico City this week continued to bring surprises on Thursday (May 14), when the legendary Irish band appeared alongside Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum at an event for the General Assembly of the Street Child World Cup in the Mexican capital.

The president took the stage at the Hidalgo Theater of the Mexican Social Security Institute to greet young participants of the international competition, which is focused on social inclusion and children’s rights. She was accompanied by lead singer Bono and guitarist The Edge, reveal videos shared on social media by Mexico City’s secretary of tourism, Alejandra Frausto.

Onstage at the venue, the head of state and the two members of the band greeted the audience before stepping down to take their seats. “My president,” Bono said to Sheinbaum, followed by a hug. The gesture drew an ovation from the attendees.

Later, Sheinbaum shared a video on her own social media accounts showing more details of her encounter with the musicians. “Hello, nice to meet you,” she told the pair in English.

“Nice to meet you, such a fan of yours”, The Edge responded. And Bono added: “My goodness, universal healthcare, you have raised the minimum wage, you come to the Street Child World Cup, you meet The Edge and myself. I don’t know how you have time.”

Mexico City hosted the 2026 Street Child World Cup this week, with 30 teams from around the world gathering for this year’s tournament, held May 6-14. “It’s a little NGO with a big kick for kids with all of the talent and none of the access,” drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said in a statement on U2’s website. “Our band are proud supporters.”

The Rock Hall-inducted outfit — also featuring bass guitarist Adam Clayton — returned to Mexico after a nine-year absence to film the music video for their song “Street of Dreams,” included in their upcoming studio album expected to be released at the end of 2026. Their highly anticipated return has already resulted in a formal invitation from the head of government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, for the group to perform at the iconic Zócalo, the country’s main public square.

Mexico holds a special place in the hearts of U2’s members. The band has delivered some of its most memorable concerts in the Latin American country, including the performance documented in the Popmart: Live From Mexico City video, recorded in 1997 during their Popmart Tour. The last time the band performed in the capital city was in October 2017, three weeks after the powerful earthquake that struck central Mexico, as part of the 30th anniversary of their iconic album The Joshua Tree.

MAYHEM is dead. And with MAYHEM Requiem, Lady Gaga made sure to lay the era to rest in the most extravagant (and Gaga) way possible.

Lady Gaga took over the AMC Theater at Los Angeles’ The Grove for a special screening of her filmed concert experience Mayhem Requiem on Thursday (May 14) night. Filmed in January at Los Angeles’ The Wiltern, MAYHEM Requiem was a one-night-only, no-phones-allowed performance during which Gaga reimagined her 2025 Billboard 200 chart-topping album MAYHEM live for a lucky group of selected fans, in partnership with Apple Music. The January show found a group of roughly 1,850 Little Monsters, many of them in costume, packed into the historic theater for the once in a lifetime show, with the mood inside the Wiltern feeling especially intimate, immediate and rare, given that everyone’s phones were tucked safely away.

Now, four months later, everyone has access to MAYHEM Requiem with a new live album recorded on the night of the exclusive performance. With the live project came the filmed concert experience, which showed at one-night-only screenings in select AMC theaters on Thursday.

To mark the occasion, Mother Monster took over the AMC at Los Angeles’ The Grove, an outdoor shopping mall. Decked out in black-and-red corseted dress and fishnet veil, Gaga led a gaggle of her dancers in a funeral procession through a crowd of her Little Monsters. Stopping at the entrance of the movie theater, Gaga paused among for dramatic effect, surrounded by her dancers in movement, as her devoted fans screamed and photographed the moment. All the while, a marching band performed somber, jazz renditions of Mayhem tracks including Billboard Hot 100 hits “Abracadabra” and “Disease.”

Once the crowd was settled inside the AMC’s auditoriums, ready to enjoy Mayhem Requiem, Gaga stopped by to welcome the audience to experience and share a little more about the making of the show.

“[Michael Polansky and I] talked about this idea that the opera house from the Art of Personal Chaos, what if it was reduced to rubble and what if it completely fell apart?” Gaga said, referencing the set and story from her recent arena tour, The Mayhem Ball. Fans who attended the ball — or watched her 2025 Coachella headlining performance — were brought to a historic-looking opera house where MAYHEM was brought to life by Gaga, her band and dancers. With MAYHEM Requiem, which was filmed in between Mayhem Ball shows, the opera house was demolished and the MAYHEM era was brought to its death — and a rebirth.

Gaga continued: “What if we tore the album down and we just completely put it back together and reimagined the music in a new way?” And that’s exactly what fans get with MAYHEM Requiem.

In the filmed MAYHEM Requiem, Gaga and her band take the beloved MAYHEM tracks and reinvented them in exciting new ways. There is none of the elaborate group choreography, heartfelt speeches or audience interactions that Gaga usually brings to her tours. Rather, for this show, the phantom of Mother Monster stripped down and recreated every track on MAYHEM. “Zombieboy” was given a new synth-forward revamp, “Abracadabra” began with a pared-back piano introduction and “How Bad Do You Want Me?” was given new life as a rock track. In her welcome speech, Gaga explained that MAYHEM Requiem was akin to what she’s like in the studio — and that came across to the audience. Each song felt like a studio demo, but in the best way: fleshed out and fully polished, just not the version that made it to the final album.

Although the songs had new sounds, different aspects of MAYHEM Requiem would be familiar to fans — especially those who attended Mayhem Ball. Like the tour, MAYHEM Requiem was split into different acts, in between which Gaga changed from one elaborate outfit into another. The set was the remains of the massive opera house that the Grammy winner brought from city to city on tour, but as she mentioned in her welcome speech, reduced to rubble. And of course, the band she performed with at the filmed Wiltern show is the same group of musicians with whom she toured, several of whom have been on her team for more than a decade.

By the end of the screening, a group of people in the AMC auditorium were particularly excited by MAYHEM Requiem, standing up and cheering as Gaga sang the final song, Hot 100 chart topper “Die With a Smile.” That group of people? The same band members performing the songs on the very screen everyone was watching.

As fans (and Gaga’s band) exited MAYHEM Requiem at The Grove, they were welcomed outside the theater by the same marching band and dancers that escorted Mother Monster to the venue. A group of Little Monsters lined up to take photos with the performers, excited to turn this one-night-only experience into a long-lasting memory.

MAYHEM Requiem the live album and filmed concert experience are both available for streaming now exclusively on Apple Music. A 15-minute companion piece to MAYHEM Requiem featuring behind the scenes footage about the creation of the performance is also now available on-demand exclusively on Apple Music.