ILLENIUM’s latest album, Odyssey, debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance Albums chart (dated Feb. 21) with 18,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States Feb. 6-12, according to Luminate. The set marks his fourth career leader, following Illenium (2023), Fallen Embers (2021) and Ascend (2019).

With four No. 1s, ILLENIUM ties FKA Twigs, Marshmello, M.I.A. and Lindsey Stirling for the third-most among solo artists in the chart’s nearly 25-year history, trailing only Lady Gaga (the leader among all acts with eight) and Louie DeVito (seven).

ILLENIUM also lands three songs from Odyssey on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart: “Don’t Want Your Love,” with Ellie Goulding, debuts at No. 9; “Slave to the Rhythm,” with Bring Me the Horizon, bows at No. 18; and “In My Arms,” with HAYLA, reenters at No. 25 (after reaching No. 12 last May). The two debuts up his career total to 69 entries, the sixth-most in the chart’s history, after David Guetta (96), Marshmello (76), Skrillex (71), the Chainsmokers and Kygo (70 each).

The chart accomplishments arrive ahead of ILLENIUM’s nine-date residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, which begins March 6. The run will make him just the second electronic artist to headline the venue, following Anyma.

In a recent interview with Billboard, ILLENIUM revealed that the Sphere residency is what sparked Odyssey. After developing a storyboard and building out a cinematic world for his show, he realized he needed an entirely new album to match its scope. “We wanted to make a movie,” he said, adding that the album and show were created in tandem, with songs written for specific scenes and characters.

“The canvas you get there is just so different creatively,” he said. “You get so many more possibilities and so much more immersion — the haptic seats, the spatial audio, which a lot of artists haven’t fully used to its full potential. We’re going frickin’ HAM on all that.”

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It’s been almost three years since Sony dropped a new pair of flagship earbuds, and now the Sony WF-1000XM6 are finally here. And honestly? They were worth the wait.

Quick disclaimer: I’m not an audiophile or sound engineer. I’m just a New Yorker who listens to music or some form of audio for about 50% of my waking hours. Whether I’m commuting, editing videos, walking through the city, or just zoning out, I’ve got something playing.

I’ve used the XM6s for about three weeks straight, on trains, at my desk, on long walks and I can confidently say they’re some of the best earbuds I’ve used.

Noise canceling: Surviving the NYC subway

If earbuds can’t handle noise canceling, they’re already losing in New York.

Anyone who rides the Metropolitan Transportation Authority subway (MTA) knows it’s loud. According to the Hearing Health Foundation, average subway platform noise levels range between 72–76 dB, with maximum readings hitting as high as 119–120 dB. That’s not just loud, that’s borderline dangerous.

So I put the XM6s through the ultimate test: rush hour on the subway.

Powered by Sony’s new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3e and Adaptive Noise Canceling Optimizer, the XM6s actively adjust to your environment in real time. You can actually hear them shift when you move from a quiet street into a roaring station platform.

Once they lock in? The outside world practically disappears.

It’s a noticeable step up, Sony claims a 25% reduction in noise compared to the previous model, and I believe it. The screeching rails, the conversations, the “stand clear of the closing doors” announcements, all muted.

Pro tip: try all four included ear tips. A proper seal makes a huge difference. I was surprisingly an XS.

Call quality

If you take calls in the city, you already know the struggle.

With other earbuds, I’ve had people tell me they can’t hear me clearly, especially outside with traffic flying by. With the XM6s, that hasn’t been an issue. Sony says this is their best call quality yet, thanks to a bone conduction sensor, dual mics with AI beamforming, and AI noise reduction.

All I know is: I can take calls on a busy street and people hear me clearly. That’s a win.

Design & fit: Different, but comfortable

The XM6s keep Sony’s pebble-style shape instead of the typical stem design most brands use. They’re slimmer than the previous generation and follow the natural curve of the inner ear for a more ergonomic fit.

At first, they take some getting used to.

When you adjust stem-style earbuds, you grab the stem. These don’t have one — so you grab the body. The issue? They use touch controls. So sometimes when you adjust them, you accidentally pause music or toggle noise canceling on/off.

It’s a learning curve. But after a few days, it becomes muscle memory.

Comfort-wise, I’ve worn them for long editing sessions, traveling around the city, without fatigue.

Sound quality: Built for R&B and hip-hop

Now the part I really care about. I listen to R&B and hip-hop heavy. That means I’m paying attention to bass, vocal clarity and how full a mix feels.

Normally, to hear a song at its absolute best, you go to a studio. If you don’t have studio access, the next best thing is a car, it’s a tight, enclosed space where bass builds naturally and you’re close to the speakers.

So I wanted to see: Can these earbuds recreate that fullness?

The XM6s deliver rich detail and clarity without overdoing anything. The bass is present and controlled, not muddy, not overpowering. Kicks hit clean. 808s feel full. Vocals sit right where they should.

To really test them, I ran through J. Cole’s latest double-disc album, The Fall-Off. Some are already calling it his greatest work to date — and on these earbuds, it absolutely sounds like it.

What stood out most was the balance. The production never overpowers Cole’s voice. The beats blend in and sit exactly where they’re supposed to, letting his bars breathe. The soundscape feels surprisingly restrained, layered and detailed, but never crowded. That restraint is what makes the clarity shine.

The XM6s don’t overemphasize mids or bass just to impress you. Everything feels balanced out of the box. Sony worked with Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated engineers like Randy Merrill, Chris Gehringer, Mike Piacentini, and Michael Romanowski to fine-tune the sound and it shows. The tuning feels intentional, not gimmicky.

For hip-hop and R&B listeners who want full, balanced, clear sound without needing to tweak EQ settings immediately, these are easily among the best earbuds you can buy right now.

Connectivity & performance

Sony improved Bluetooth performance with an antenna that’s 1.5x larger than the previous model. In real-world terms? Fewer random cutouts, even in crowded areas like Midtown.

The look: Clean, but not flashy

I care about style. I’m from New York — how things look matters.

The XM6s have a clean, premium, minimalist aesthetic. They come in Platinum Silver and Black and retail for $329.99 USD.

But if I’m being honest? They’re not the most fashionable earbuds out there. They look sleek, but they don’t make a statement in your ear. They stand out but not in a way that adds to your outfit.

I wouldn’t mind a little more visual personality.

Final verdict

As a New Yorker who lives in headphones and runs mostly R&B and hip-hop through them, the Sony WF-1000XM6 check the boxes that matter most:

• Elite noise canceling (subway approved)

• Clear, reliable call quality

• Balanced, detailed sound with strong bass presence

• Comfortable for long wear

• Stable connectivity in crowded environments

They’re not the flashiest looking earbuds, but sonically and functionally, they’re top-tier.

If you care about blocking out the chaos of New York and hearing your music the way it was meant to sound, these are absolutely worth considering.

When NBA All-Star Weekend lands in Los Angeles, you know it’s bound to be star-studded — and the 2026 edition was no exception.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game went down on Sunday, but that was hardly the only big event that took over L.A. Starting with Friday’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, the music stars came out in full force, with GloRilla, Mustard and Adrien Nuñez all playing in the game. Then on NBA All-Star Saturday, in addition to the 3-point contest and the slam dunk competition, there was also a mini-concert from Ludacris, who took center court to perform “Move Bi—” (a family-friendly version, of course), “Stand Up” and DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.” Finally, ahead of Sunday’s night’s USA vs. the World NBA All-Star Game, Sarah McLachlan represented for her home country by performing “O Canada” while Brandy joined forces with members of the girl group June’s Diary to perform the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Beyond the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California — where all the official NBA games were hosted — there were also parties like Kenny “The Jet” Smith’s black-tie FlyHouse presented by Resorts World on Friday in Beverly Hills, California, which included a performance from Nas and appearances from Ja Rule, Kelly Rowland, Slick Rick and more celebs. Also on Friday, NBA legends Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony hosted their Gentleman’s Supper Club powered by D’USSE, with Chance the Rapper in attendance as well as Wade’s actress wife Gabrielle Union. On Sunday, Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving shut down Pacific Park at the end of the Santa Monica Pier for ANTALAND, a family day for the shoe and sportswear brand ANTA that just opened its first U.S. store over the weekend in Beverly Hills. Irving welcomed BLXST, Love Island star Ace Greene and more for the family-friendly event.

Below, find some of the best photos from the weekend as your favorite music stars took over the sports world.

Evan Dando of The Lemonheads was recently hospitalized for mental health issues after allegedly sending unsolicited sexual videos to a fan. But according to his wife, Antonia Teixeira, the episode that led to his hospitalization actually started earlier this year when she and her husband were in the U.S. for a taping of NPR’s Tiny Desk, which she says will never see the light of day.

In a phone call with Billboard on Friday (Feb. 13) — the same day Dando’s rep confirmed the musician had checked in to a hospital in Brazil for mental health issues — Teixeira explained that Dando had been struggling with heavy drinking and prescription drug abuse during their five-year relationship. According to her, Dando’s latest issues began a few weeks prior to him checking into the hospital. The couple had traveled from their home in São Paulo to New York City so that The Lemonheads could appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 20, after which they went to Washington, D.C., to film a Tiny Desk episode.

It was during that trip that Teixeira says her husband’s behavior started to become erratic, making her concerned. “That day, he was totally out of his mind,” she said. “So out of his mind, that the Tiny Desk won’t be aired.”

NPR had no comment when contacted about the allegedly scrapped Tiny Desk episode. Dando’s rep also declined to comment.

When they got back to Brazil, Teixeira says Dando continued demonstrating unpredictable behavior. In her words, “everything went to hell” one day recently, when she alleges Dando ingested large quantities of Adderall, THC and mushrooms all at once and began exchanging explicit videos with numerous women on X. Upon discovering the videos, Teixeira says she took Dando to the facility where he’s currently receiving care and gave him an ultimatum: If he doesn’t complete his treatment, which she thinks will take at least 30 days, she will get a divorce.

“You can’t imagine how mad I was when I saw that he was sending messages to girls,” Teixeira said. “I’m very mad, because he betrayed me.” She also believes he sent the unsolicited video by accident to the wrong woman. “From what I’m looking [at] now, it wasn’t … he doesn’t remember what he did. He was in a mental meltdown.”

Teixeira says that her husband was “very embarrassed” after learning of his actions. She added that she believes his apparent relapse was “self-sabotage,” as he’d recently successfully recorded a new album and was slated to embark on a tour this summer, which has since been canceled. Last year, he released The Lemonheads’ first proper full-length in 19 years, Love Chant, and published a memoir titled Rumors of My Demise, in which he spoke about his history of using drugs such as heroin, speed and cocaine.

Though he quit using hard drugs after spending time in rehab in late 2021, Dando told The New York Times last year that he was still drinking alcohol and consuming “over-the-counter” substances. While speaking to Billboard, Teixeira says she has felt responsible for years for making sure her husband didn’t drink too much or use too many prescription drugs, which she says she’s kept hidden from him in a locked compartment.

But now, Teixeira says Dando’s hospitalization is his chance to take responsibility for his own substance use. “If he’s really, really committed, he can do it,” she shares of his current treatment plan.

“I feel like this is a second phase of his healing, you know?” she adds. “It’s him actually taking into his own hands, his responsibilities, the consequences, and not blaming other people and just trying to be better because he wants to be better himself … I’m very hopeful that things will get better.”

If you or anyone you know is facing mental health issues and/or issues with substance use, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for free, confidential referrals and resources 24/7 by visiting the SAMHSA website or calling the national helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Those in need of support after experiencing sexual harassment, assault or abuse can reach out to RAINN — which is also available 24/7 online, via phone at 800-656-HOPE or text 64673 — for live, confidential help and resources.