Megan Moroney has some famous friends joining her on Cloud 9, her third full-length album arriving Feb. 20 on Sony Music Nashville/Columbia Records.

The emo cowgirl’s new 15-track set will feature collaborations with Ed Sheeran on “I Only Miss You” and Kacey Musgraves on “Bells & Whistles.” Moroney announced the tracklisting Friday (Jan. 9) via a short video that featured her emerging from a small biplane in pink boots and pink flight suit before segueing to the song titles skywritten against a sky blue background.

The album includes the previously released “6 Months Later,” which is No. 6 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated Jan. 10, and “Beautiful Things,” which is at No. 32.

Moroney co-wrote every song on the album and worked with such top Nashville songwriters as Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon, ERNEST, Jessi Alexander, Hillary Lindsey and Emily Weisbard and MacKenzie Carpenter.  Sheeran is a co-writer on “I Only Miss You,”  while the Musgraves track was written by Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter and Micah Carpenter.

In addition to the standard edition, Moroney will also release the Tiger Cloud-BTS edition, a special vinyl with alternative cover art and a gatefold featuring 50 previously unreleased images, including an insert from Moroney’s album shoot.

Moroney will support the album with her 4-date  Cloud 9 tour, which starts in May and travels through North America and Europe, including multiple dates at Chicago’s United Center, Atlanta’s State Farm Arena,  Boston’s TD Garden, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Watch the reveal of her tracklist and features below:

Cloud 9 tracklist:

Elon Musk’s X is suing the major music publishers and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) over allegations that they “weaponized” takedown requests and exploited their monopoly power to force the social media platform to license music at jacked-up rates.

In a blockbuster lawsuit filed Friday (Jan. 9), lawyers for X (formerly Twitter) accused publishing units of Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment of violating federal antitrust laws by colluding against the site in an illegal conspiracy.

X’s attorneys claim the plan was orchestrated by the NMPA and its president/CEO David Israelite, who they say personally threatened to “inundate” the company with takedown notices if it didn’t agree to his terms — and then did so when X refused to play ball.

“The music publishers collude, rather than compete, to attempt to force X to take industrywide licenses, harming not just consumers and X users … but also X, which suffers ongoing harm from defendants’ coordinated and coercive campaign,” the suit reads.

In a statement to Billboard, Israelite said that X is the “only major social media company” that doesn’t license the songs on its platform. “We allege that X has engaged in copyright infringement for years, and its meritless lawsuit is a bad faith effort to distract from publishers’ and songwriters’ legitimate right to enforce against X’s illegal use of their songs,” he continued.

Reps for all three majors did not return requests for comment.

The new case comes more than two years after the publishers filed their own suit against X, which has long held out against licensing music directly. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have all entered into such deals, giving users a licensed library of songs to add to their videos.

That case claimed that users on X, operating without such a license, had infringed more than 1,700 songs from writers like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé — claims that could lead to $255 million in damages. In 2024, a judge refused to dismiss the case and allowed it to move ahead toward trial. Though the case was recently paused for talks, it resumed in November after the sides said they were “unable to complete a settlement.”

On Friday, X turned the tables with an aggressive legal counter-punch, accusing the NMPA and the publishers of sweeping antitrust violations by working together against the site in a “conspiracy to leverage collective monopoly power.” It claims that the defendants in the case represent 90 percent of the market for musical compositions.

“Rather than engage in a competitive process and individually negotiate a license for their catalogs, the music publishers colluded through NMPA in a concerted refusal to deal with X independently,” the company’s lawyers write.

To implement that alleged scheme, X says the publishers “weaponized” the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the federal law that governs takedown requests to social media sites. According to the suit, Israelite warned the company in an email that, if it did not take a blanket license, he would send such notices “on a scale larger than any previous effort in DMCA history.” He allegedly warned that such an action would turn X’s most popular users into “repeat infringers,” whom sites are required by law to terminate. “NMPA also made clear that X could make this all go away — for a price.”

When the platform refused to cooperate, it says NMPA made good on its threats, sending more than 200,000 takedown requests in the first year alone, many for posts “not subject to any legitimate claim of infringement.” X says those efforts continue to this day.

“Because X has resisted defendants’ attempt to force it to buy industrywide licenses it does not need, it continues to be buried in hundreds of pages of takedown notices nearly every week,” the site’s lawyers claim.

Friday’s lawsuit makes explicit what X has long shown through its actions: That it does not believe it needs to take the same kind of blanket license as TikTok and Instagram. To make that case, it cites the DMCA’s so-called safe harbor, which shields digital platforms from liability for illegal materials uploaded by their users, so long as such content is promptly removed when it’s flagged.

In the modern internet ecosystem, most major social media platforms have decided they’d rather have licensed libraries of music as a perk for their users and as a means of avoiding endless takedown fights. But X says such an approach is a market choice, not a legal requirement.

“A platform … does not need to license all the copyrighted musical works that its users may post and instead may choose to rely on the statutory safe harbor,” the company’s lawyers write, “X — which has instituted a robust DMCA-compliance policy — has long relied on the safe harbor.”

In addition to publishing units of the three majors, the suit also names as defendants many prominent independent publishers, including Concord Music, Downtown Music, Kobalt Music, Reservoir Music and Wixen Music.

The Producers Guild of America has announced the nominees for the 37th Annual Producers Guild Awards. The awards will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Nominees for the ceremony’s top honor, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, are Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams and Weapons. The winner in this category has historically correlated closely with the Oscar winner for best picture.

Billy Joel: And So It Goes, an acclaimed look at legendary Piano Man Billy Joel, is vying for outstanding producer of non-fiction television with aka Charlie Sheen, Mr. Scorsese, Pee-wee as Himself and SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.

KPop Demon Hunters, the megahit Netflix film that spawned one of the year’s biggest hits, HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” is nominated for outstanding producer of animated theatrical motion pictures. It is competing with The Bad Guys 2, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, Elio and Zootopia 2.

The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, in which the beloved 1939 classic meets 21st century technology, is nominated for the PGA Innovation Award, along with Asteroid, Big Wave: No Room for Error, D-Day: The Camera Soldier and Territory. 

The Producers Guild Awards ceremony will also include three special awards. Honorees this year are Amy Pascal (David O. Selznick Achievement Award), Jason Blum (Milestone Award) and Mara Brock Akil (Norman Lear Achievement Award). 

Final ballots for children’s, short form and sports Ppograms will close on Monday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m. PT. Winners in these categories, as well as the PGA Innovation Award, will be announced the week of Feb. 23 during PGA’s East and West Coast nominee and producing team celebrations.

Final ballots for television and film categories will close on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m. PT. Winners of these categories will be announced at the Feb. 28 show.

The 2026 Producers Guild Awards Event Chairs are Mike Farah and Joe Farrell. The 2026 Producers Guild Awards are produced by Anchor Street Collective. Branden Chapman is executive producer and Carleen Cappelletti is co-executive producer.

Here’s the complete list of nominees across all categories.

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Bugonia

F1

Frankenstein

Hamnet

Marty Supreme

One Battle After Another

Sentimental Value

Sinners

Train Dreams

Weapons

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

The Bad Guys 2

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters

Zootopia 2

Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama

Andor 

The Diplomat 

The Pitt 

Pluribus 

Severance 

The White Lotus 

Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy

The Bear 

Hacks 

Only Murders in the Building

South Park 

The Studio

David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television

Adolescence

The Beast in Me 

Black Mirror

Black Rabbit

Dying for Sex

Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

The Gorge

John Candy: I Like Me

Mountainhead

Nonnas

Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television

aka Charlie Sheen 

Billy Joel: And So It Goes 

Mr. Scorsese

Pee-wee as Himself 

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night 

Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television

The Daily Show 

Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver 

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert 

SNL50: The Anniversary Special

Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television

The Amazing Race 

Jeopardy! 

RuPaul’s Drag Race 

Top Chef 

The Traitors

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures

The Alabama Solution 

Cover-Up 

Mr. Nobody Against Putin 

My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay 

Ocean With David Attenborough 

The Perfect Neighbor 

The Tale of Silyan 

Outstanding Sports Program

100 Foot Wave

Big Dreams: The Little League World Series 2024

Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills

Surf Girls: International 

Outstanding Children’s Program

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past

Phineas and Ferb

Sesame Street

Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical

SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Short-Form Program

Adolescence: The Making of Adolescence

The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains

Hacks: Bit By Bit

Overtime with Bill Maher

The White Lotus: Unpacking the Episode

PGA Innovation Award

Asteroid 

Big Wave: No Room for Error 

D-Day: The Camera Soldier 

Territory 

The Wizard of Oz at Sphere 

The music industry in Venezuela — like other sectors — has suffered a notable decline in recent decades due to the country’s economic crisis, as well as the emigration of talent, insecurity and political censorship or self-censorship. Once a strategic destination for the touring market because of its geographic location, Venezuela has been largely excluded from the travel schedules of major international stars in recent years, although in 2024 there was a brief resurgence with concerts by artists like Maluma, Karol G and Luis Miguel.

But that mini-boom took a hit after the disputed presidential elections of July 28 that year, when the Venezuelan electoral authority declared Nicolás Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote (although it has not shown proper documentation that support the results) and the opposition denounced irregularities in the count, stating that its candidate, Edmundo González, had obtained almost 70% of the vote.

A cradle of great musicians nurtured by 50 years of work from the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs (commonly known as El Sistema), Venezuela has exported countless artists in a variety of musical genres who have shone on major global stages and at award ceremonies. Meanwhile, within the country, the local music industry continues facing challenges and difficulties in promoting the music of local artists.

“There is still a market for Venezuelan singers, as well as for musical and theatrical productions,” says José Luis Ventura, a cultural promoter with over 30 years in the Venezuelan industry and director of Ventura Espectáculos, which last September launched the industry event Caracas Music Biz 360 in the country’s capital city. “People are still eager to consume culture.”

“Throughout the years, we have been a fundamental part of the Venezuelan cultural landscape, dedicated to creating shows that highlight and promote the talent present in music and the arts. We are constantly evolving, focused on fostering creativity and supporting both national and international talent with unwavering resilience,” he adds.  

Now, following Maduro’s recent capture during a U.S. military operation in Caracas, the country is experiencing a moment of great uncertainty. Ventura and two renowned Venezuelan music figures in exile — singer Beto Montenegro, leader of the Grammy-winning band Rawayana, and executive Claudia Arcay, founder and CEO of Arco Entertainment — respond to five questions from Billboard about the potential of the Venezuelan music industry if there were tangible change.

Beyond the cancellation of concerts, how is the music industry in Venezuela being affected by the most recent events?

Claudia Arcay: The current political situation in Venezuela has created an environment of insecurity and uncertainty that directly affects the music industry and the organization of concerts. The lack of guarantees regarding public order, permits and institutional stability makes organizing events today a high-risk operation. Added to this are restrictions and censorship practices tied to political positions, which limit artistic freedom and discourage audiences, promoters, sponsors and artists. Until there are clear conditions of security and freedom of expression, it will be very difficult to restore attendees’ confidence.

Beto Montenegro: The current situation is so surreal that, sometimes, I don’t even know what to say. I suppose efforts will continue to normalize the landscape with concerts promoted or financed by the government in favor of Chavismo. Meanwhile, all those artists who are doing the impossible to grow honestly will continue to do so independently, facing limitations, censorship and the rules imposed by the Venezuelan status quo.

José Luis Ventura: The music industry in the country has been affected for many years, and while these events may have a direct impact on the suspension of upcoming concerts, they are just one more factor added to existing economic problems, making it even harder for the sector to stay active and operational. The instability of the exchange rate complicates any business model, limiting the production of international artists’ shows and longterm sustainable investments in the sector. Despite this, the situation also opens an opportunity for Venezuelan talent, driven by their creativity and motivation, to gain relevance. This is bolstered by the growing interest in local music and the work of artists who were established before the crisis and who continue to project themselves internationally.

Due to its geographic location, Venezuela is a natural bridge for trade between the Americas, but many artists have abstained from performing in the country in recent decades for economic and sociopolitical reasons. How would incorporating Venezuela back into live music tour plans benefit the industry?

Arcay: Historically, the country was a key stop within the Latin American touring and festival circuit; its reintegration would help recover part of the international visibility lost after years of economic, political and security challenges. The absence of artists who choose not to perform in Venezuela — whether for political, economic, or security reasons — has left a void in the regional circuit, with consequences that go beyond culture and also affect the perception of the country as a viable market for live entertainment.

The arrival of international tours would not only expand opportunities for Venezuelan musicians, technicians and companies but would also have an immediate economic impact on various sectors. These include ticket sales, which generate direct income for promoters and artists, as well as the activation of complementary industries such as hotels, restaurants, transportation and local commerce, while also boosting activity in airports and land terminals. Musical events, when strategically integrated into tourism and entertainment plans, can contribute to the reactivation of local economies.

Montenegro: It would be incredible. The Venezuelan audience is one of the most important in Latin America. Venezuela is a country with a lot of talent and resources; unfortunately, we’ve fallen into a very tough period in our history. For culture and the music industry, reopening that market would be a complete true blessing. It would change the lives of many national and international artists. Venezuela was always a country full of events in multiple cities.

Ventura: It would undoubtedly be a turning point for the local music industry. Live music represents a showcase of cultural openness, which could promote the Venezuelan market again as a favorable place for a sustainable business model, leading record labels and booking agents to partner with this market, not just for one-off concerts. Additionally, it would increase the value of national artists, as opening for international artists would provide them greater exposure. At the moment, the country has highly skilled personnel in all areas of production meeting the requirements of major international shows. Hosting these events in the country would also serve as an incentive for consumers to once again enjoy high-quality productions locally.

Venezuela is also a powerhouse in terms of musical talent, fueled by the decades-long work of El Sistema. More and more Venezuelan musicians are shining on international stages and award ceremonies — but to achieve this, they’ve had to leave the country. What can local artists do to gain greater international projection from within?

Arcay: By enhancing their digital presence, seeking strategic alliances and international collaborations, participating in global cultural circuits, and leveraging platforms that directly connect them with international audiences and professionals. These strategies — combined with natural talent and the training many receive from a young age — can once again make Venezuela a reference point for Latin American musical talent without emigration as the only option.

Montenegro: As long as this government remains, the only thing left is to continue working with love and passion while waiting for the right moment to leave the country. Any project that gains some relevance within Venezuela will inevitably encounter the reality of the system imposed by those in power. Unfortunately, that’s a huge limitation for fully developing from within.

Ventura: The economic situation in Venezuela complicates investment in the cultural sector; however, the creativity and talent of Venezuelans are undeniable. With a good strategy and efficient use of available resources, artists can overcome obstacles and achieve international success from within their own country. We [Ventura Espectáculos & Oz Shows] have created the first music business seminar in Venezuela, the Caracas Music Biz 360, which had excellent participation [at its first edition in September 2025].

Our goal is to position ourselves as one of the leading music markets in Latin America. We aim to provide a learning and networking platform that allows these new artists and professionals from various areas of the entertainment industry to interact with industry experts and companies, helping them develop and promote their talent both nationally and globally. The music industry is constantly evolving, and this transformation inevitably requires greater training and specialization in a sector that increasingly brings together professionals from various fields, all with a common interest: promoting musical activity.

In the ’80s and ’90s, Venezuela experienced a golden age in music, with national and international record labels launching the careers of stars like Ricardo Montaner, Franco De Vita, Yordano, Karina and many more. What needs to happen for international record labels to return to the country?

Arcay: For international record labels to re-establish real and sustained operations in Venezuela, talent alone is not enough. Nor is cultural interest or the historical value of the market. What is critically missing today is trust. Without clear business guarantees, legal security and a stable and transparent regulatory framework, it becomes unfeasible for any multinational corporation to take the risk of investing, opening offices, or committing resources longterm in the country. The music industry is no exception. Major investment decisions are based on predictability. In Venezuela’s case, the persistence of political tensions, regulatory discretion and security challenges continue to heighten the perception of political and social risk. Until this situation changes structurally, the return of international labels will remain more of an aspiration than a concrete possibility.

Montenegro: Economic security, legal security, diplomatic openness, public safety, monetary stability, freedom of speech, the return of airlines and reopening of airspace, investments in other areas of the economy, inflation control, the return of credit, restructuring of the institutions responsible for collecting royalties for copyrights, among many other macroeconomic priorities. In summary: the system needs to truly change. Sadly, with the current leadership, none of this seems realistic. But it will definitely be very interesting to see what happens when the conditions are in place for this to occur.

Ventura: It’s not just about talent, which has always been present. It’s important to note that during the ’80s and ’90s, the record labels that gave rise to these great Venezuelan artists were Venezuelan investments, Venezuelan record labels. Today, we are also establishing small independent Venezuelan labels to generate and manage this talent, which may later be picked up by these major record labels.

What is the real potential of the Venezuelan music industry if there were a structural change in the country?

Arcay: Venezuela does not lack talent or musical history; it lacks conditions. When the country manages to offer stability, clear rules and an environment that rewards investment and professionalization, that talent — which today thrives outside its borders — can become a solid industry from within. The potential exists; it’s proven and it’s competitive. The difference between promise and reality will not be creative but structural.

Montenegro: There are millions of people who understand everything they’ve lost and want to recover it. Millions of Venezuelans abroad are learning from different markets and cultures, and people inside have managed to resist despite the mediocrity of the system. The potential is immense. Venezuela is not just any country; it’s a territory rich in resources, something that has historically been reflected in its economy. If there were no theft and real investment were made in the country, the return and integration of Venezuela into the world would be fascinating as a nation.

Ventura: We have human capital, a source of musical talent — songwriters, instrumentalists, producers and performers — both inside and outside the country, with exceptional technical and creative levels. A positive change would allow Venezuelan artists who are currently succeeding nationally and internationally to increase interest in Venezuela and its artists as a valuable market for the industry. Furthermore, an improvement in quality of life and purchasing power would mean an audience more willing to consume music, attend concerts and purchase related products, which are key factors driving the sector. The potential is immense, but it requires a comprehensive change to boost the economy and ensure safety in all aspects.

Vol. 15 of Soso no Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End) by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe holds at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Japan Book Hot 100, on the chart released Jan. 1.

The Japan Book Hot 100 is a comprehensive list integrating physical books, e-books, library loans, subscription-based consumption, and social media buzz. This week, Vol. 15 (released Dec. 18) of the popular manga series chronicling the adventures of the elven mage Frieren logs its second week atop the tally after debuting at the summit last week. The volume again leads physical-store sales, while coming in at No. 3 for e-books, No. 15 for EC, and remaining within the top 50 on social media, maintaining strong performance across metrics.

Also holding steady at No. 2 is the latest volume of the Monthly Sunday GX manga adaptation of Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries). Debuting at No. 3 is the comic adaptation of the popular light novel Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman) Vol. 8. The original novel series previously received an anime adaptation last year.

During the final chart week of 2025, novels see notable gains across the board, likely driven by year-end retrospectives at bookstores and among individual readers, as well as increased demand for binge reading over the holidays. Kanae Minato’s Ningen Hyouhon (Human Specimens), which recently launched as a live-action drama on Prime Video, and Mina Miyajima’s Naruse wa Tenka wo Toriniiku, the first installment in the Naruse series, each climb one position. Meanwhile, Ryo Asai’s In the Megachurch surges from outside the top 20 last week to No. 13.

See the top titles on this week’s JAPAN Book Hot 100:

JAPAN BOOK HOT 100 Top 10

(Numbers in parentheses indicate the title’s metric placements for physical stores, EC, e-books, subscriptions, and social media, top 20 only. English title given if translations or adaptations exist.)

1. Soso no Frieren (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End) Vol. 15, Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe (1・15・3・-・-)

2. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto ~ Maomao no Kokyu Nazotoki Techo ~ (The Apothecary Diaries) Vol. 21, Hyuuganatsu, Minoji Kurata, Touko Shino (3・5・7・-・-)

3. Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei Shita Deshi-tachi ga Ore wo Hotte Kurenai Ken (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman: My Hotshot Disciples Are All Grown Up Now and They Won’t Leave Me Alone) Vol. 8, Shigeru Sagazaki, Tetsuhiro Nabeshima, Kazuki Sato (2・-・11・-・-)

4. Honey Lemon Soda Vol. 30, Mayu Murata (6・-・2・-・-)

5. Ore dake Level Up na Ken (Solo Leveling) Vol. 23, DUBU (REDICE STUDIO), Chugong, h-goon (4・-・6・-・-)

6. Masshiro na Choucho, MAYA (-・1・-・-・-)

7. Ningen Hyouhon (Human Specimens), Kanae Minato (8・-・-・-・6)

8. Naruse wa Tenka wo Toriniiku, Mina Miyajima (-・-・-・1・3)

9. Taiyou yori mo Mabushii Hoshi (A Star Brighter Than the Sun) Vol. 13, Kazune Kawahara (-・-・1・-・-)

10. Bakudan (Bomb), Katsuhiro Go (-・-・-・18・2)