Leading production music platform Slipstream has acquired Los Angeles-based production music library Megatrax, expanding the Slipstream catalog to more than 1 million tracks, the company tells Billboard.

Launched in 1991, Megatrax represents more than 200,000 tracks by composers, songwriters and musicians for film, TV and advertising. The company will continue operating independently as it’s integrated into Slipstream’s platform.

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“This acquisition reflects our long-term consolidation strategy,” said Dan Demole, CEO of Slipstream, in a statement. “Megatrax is a highly respected, composer-led catalog with decades of history in television, film and advertising. By integrating it into our proprietary licensing platform, we can modernize distribution, expand directly into Latin America, and improve Slipstream’s offering to our clients around the globe.”

Through the acquisition, Slipstream expands its presence in Latin America, where Megatrax generates “a significant share” of its revenue, according to a press release.

“Latin America is one of the most dynamic growth regions in media and brand marketing,” added Jesse Korwin, chief revenue officer of Slipstream. “Megatrax brings established relationships and a catalog that reflects authentic, region-specific genres across multiple Latin American markets. There is rising demand for culturally specific music across both traditional advertising, television, and digital streaming platforms, and this positions us to meet that demand at scale.”

The Megatrax acquisition follows Slipstream’s 2024 purchase of production music company Anthem Entertainment, including Jingle Punks, 5 Alarm Music and Cavendish Music.

In their own statement, Ron Mendelsohn and JC Dwyer, co-founders of Megatrax, added, “For more than three decades, Megatrax has been committed to providing our clients with high-quality music coupled with top tier customer service. Joining Slipstream positions our label for the future, allowing our catalog and composers to benefit from modern licensing infrastructure, global reach and a company built for the evolving needs of producers and brands.”

Financing for the Megatrax acquisition was provided by Pollen Street Capital. DLA Piper LLP served as Slipstream’s legal adviser. Megatrax’s legal adviser was Greenberg Glusker LLP, while its exclusive financial advisor was American Discovery Advisors LLC.

Check out more recent music industry deals below.

Terrence Howard has claimed that once upon a time, he had the chance to date Beyoncé while she was a member of Destiny’s Child.

The Hustle & Flow star joined the PBD Podcast earlier in March, where Howard detailed how he avoided romance in the entertainment world. The actor alleged that he could have dated Beyoncé, but opted to pursue another member of Destiny’s Child.

“I had the chance to date Beyoncé early on,” he said just shy of the 17-minute mark. “We had a conversation and I ended up talking to the other girl inside of Destiny’s [Child] — the girl with the blue eyes.”

Howard recalled: “I remember Beyoncé looking over at me, and I think that’s why she picked me to do that dance, when she did the kind of striptease dance that we did at the BET [Awards] or whatever, to show me what I had lost.”

The 2005 BET Awards that Howard’s referring to saw Destiny’s Child perform “Cater 2 U” and each member was paired up with a celebrity man on stage. Michelle Williams brought up NBA legend Magic Johnson, while Kelly Rowland opted for her “Dilemma” running mate Nelly, and Bey had Terrence Howard.

“I was attracted [to her],” he admitted. “There was a moment when I had felt something there, but that was long before she was with Jay-Z.“

Beyoncé and Jay-Z began dating around 2001 and got married in 2008. The power couple has three children together (14-year-old Blue Ivy and eight-year-old twins Sir and Rumi).

As for Terrence Howard, he’s a father of five and has tied the knot four times to three different women.

Watch the interview below. Talk about Beyoncé begins around 17 minutes. Billboard has reached out to Beyoncé’s rep for comment.


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First things first: Ed Sheeran had nothing to do with that colossal continuity error in the final season of Game of Thrones in which someone left a Starbucks coffee cup on set during a feast scene at Winterfell castle.

But in a visit this week to Benny Blanco and Lil Dicky‘s new just-hanging-with-friends not-a-podcast podcast, Friends Keep Secrets, the “Camera” singer did fess up to causing some commotion in the George R.R. Martin extended universe.

“I feel like I definitely ruffled some feathers being on Game of Thrones,” said Sheeran, who had a brief, but much-documented appearance in the 2017 season opener where he played a singing Lannister-loyal soldier that some diehard GoT fans grumbled had taken them out of the moment. Dicky disagreed and credited Sheeran with have the “right vibe” for the scene. “What I said is, ‘People love that show.’ If anyone gets asked to be in that show, it’s an instant yes. I said yes. I enjoyed doing it,” continued Sheeran.

Dicky’s wife and the pod’s third co-host, Kristin Batalucco, noted other famous folks have been on the show, though her husband disagreed, saying that they were not on Sheeran’s global level of fame and ubiquity. They were both right.

Icelandic band Sigur Rós were part of the house band at reviled King Joffrey’s Purple Wedding in season four, rockers Mastodon played wildings and the members of the Night King’s undead army in seasons five and seven, Coldplay drummer Will Champion was a member of the band in the infamously brutal Red Wedding scene in season three and country singer Chris Stapleton played a slain wilding in Season eight’s Battle of Winterfell, among other famous faces in the crowd over eight seasons.

In fact, Sheeran noted that one of those faces, good friend Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody — who played a musician traveling with Roose Bolton’s crew in season three, and who is credited with getting Ed the gig — was also among the many famous folks who dropped by the show. “I think at the time I was very omnipresent and just everywhere,” Sheeran admitted about why his presence possibly came off as jarring.

Regardless, Sheeran said he had fun, but he definitely recalled getting a lot of flack for the cameo at the time. “I feel like that happens quite a lot in my career,” Sheeran added of the backlash. “I’ll just get s–t on for things that … a lot of it was in that Divide [album] year. And I think it’s cuz I was omnipresent and just everywhere.”

The rest of the rambling, friendly chat swung from the origin story of how Sheeran and Burd first met, to talk of the singer’s legendary clumsiness — including an epic hoverboard fail at Blanco’s house that resulted in a shattered glass dining room table — as well as the latest addition to Sheeran’s expansive memorabilia collection: the Edward Scissorhands hands.

Both Burd and Blanco lost their minds over the news, yelling, “You did!?,” with Blanco demanding visual proof right away. “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard,” he said, freaking out at the photo of the razor-sharp digits hanging in Sheeran’s house next to Dr. Evil’s suit from Austin Powers.

Watch Sheeran on Friends Keep Secrets (GoT talk begins at 47:50 mark) below.


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Vans just enlisted the help of some major music acts for their new spring 2026 campaign titled “Off the Wall.”

The footwear retailer brought on SZA, Hayley Williams, Travis Barker and Franz Lyons of Turnstile to model their latest Authentic styles alongside skateboarders Lizzie Armanto and T-Funk. Each person seemed to effortlessly embody the Vans branding, whether that be through their grungy aesthetics or skateboarding occupation, a pastime that is very near and dear to the brand’s ethos. “Off The Wall reflects how Vans moves through culture: how it creates, how it connects, and how it evolves,” the Vans press release reads. “Each individual featured embodies that mindset, completely unique, yet hardwired to create their own noise. Builders and breakers. Originals and outsiders.”

In any case, the campaign featured a slew of lace-up styles new to the brand that can be shopped on Vans’ website now. Ample sizing is available for both men and women. The iconic canvas silhouette now features a range of colorful options, including whimsical floral prints, alongside the standard yet always fun checkerboard pattern in shades of pink, green, or red. The checkerboard styles launched today, while the printed models will be launching April 2.

The classic lace-up is near and dear to many folks’ hearts. On the musician front alone, you’ve got stars like BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA that have worn low-top Vans on and off for years, and it’s easy to see why. The shoe has that certain swagger that’s synonymous with moshing, hitting an Ollie or playing through a punk-rock set with friends.

The shoe is carefree and easy to wear, popularized by skateboarders, surfers and punk and emo subgenres. These new canvas silhouettes are much more playful, imbued with tons of color that make them great for spring. The canvas is forgiving and easy to clean if you do happen to dirty them up — although, Vans look best all scuffed up in our opinion. Each shoe is equipped with non-slip rubber soles and lace-up closures for an adjustable fit. The loud prints and patterns are meant to stand-out, serving as a statement shoe especially when worn with your classic jeans and tee attire.

Below, you can shop our favorites seen on SZA, Hailey Williams, Franz Lyons and Travis Barker.

Shop Vans’ New Spring 2026 Authentic Styles Seen on SZA, Travis Barker & Hailey Williams

Here's What To Buy From Vans' Spring 2026 Collection Seen On Musicians

Premium Authentic Checkerboard Shoe

This lace-up style has a woven look in shades of green and deep blue. This is an interesting take on the brand’s checkerboard pattern shoe.


What to buy from Vans' "Off the Wall" spring 2026 campaign.

Authentic Checkerboard Shoe

This lace-up style with that iconic checkerboard pattern, this time, in pink and blue. The lace-up style is just one of many checkerboard silhouettes launched.


What to buy from Vans' "Off the Wall" spring 2026 campaign.

Authentic Checkerboard Shoe

This lace-up style with that iconic checkerboard pattern. The lace-up style is just one of many checkerboard silhouettes launched.


Here's What To Buy From Vans' Spring 2026 Collection Seen On Musicians

Premium Authentic Checkerboard Shoe

This lace-up style has a woven look in back and white. This is an interesting take on the brand’s checkerboard pattern shoe because the pattern is larger.



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It’s amazing sometimes where life’s twists and turns can take you. Just ask three-time Grammy Award nominee Kem: While waiting tables in the mid-‘90s before the singer-songwriter’s career took off, Kem met one of his musical inspirations. Several years later, he found himself opening for that artist.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Al Jarreau while I was waiting tables,” recalls Kem, who was working at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, MI. “Then the next time I saw Al, I was opening for him at the Long Beach Jazz Festival in 2004. His name is definitely in the hatful of people that I took inspiration from.”

Another twist happened three years later: After winning a Grammy Award for best traditional R&B vocal performance— with George Benson and Jill Scott — for “God Bless the Child” in 2007, Jarreau spoke with a reporter backstage. As relayed in an article posted in THR, Jarreau was asked what future collaborations were on the horizon. He responded that he’d like to “team with Universal Motown R&B artist Kem and title the album Alkemy.”

Now nine years after Jarreau’s death in 2017, Kem is making good on conversations the pair had about finding an opportunity to work together. He’s bringing “Kem Presents: Alkemy” to Blue Note Los Angeles beginning tonight (March 12) and running through March 15. That run —kicking off on what would have been Jarreau’s 86th birthday — follows a similar four-night residency at Blue Note New York a week ago (March 5-8). Billed as an “intimate evening of soul and jazz,” the bookings mark Kem’s first-time playing Blue Note’s U.S. clubs.

“One of my biggest musical regrets is that Al and I never got a chance to actually record something together,” says Kem. “So I’ve been thinking about that and, as a newly independent artist, I’ve been exercising my creative juices. Paying homage to this idea of alchemy and my friend Al really has allowed me to get back in touch with the creative and artistic sides of myself.”

Alkemy finds Kem walking the fine line between R&B and jazz that he started down when launching his career. For the upcoming album, produced by Grammy winner Robert Glasper, Kem has recorded original jazz arrangements of songs from Jarreau’s catalog as well as his own such as the R&B hits “Love Calls” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” The Blue Note previews of Alkemy are also being recorded as Kem continues to work on the album.

“One of the beauties of being independent is the ability to take our time; to let the art lead the strategy,” says Kem when asked about an Alkemy release date. “The shape and context of these shows may help to further color this project. But my hope is to release it this year.”

Kem — who traced his arc from homelessness to Grammy-nominated artist in the best-selling memoir Share My Life: A Journey of Love, Faith and Redemption — is no stranger to the indie scene. Before signing with Motown Records in 2001, he self-released first album Kemistry via his same-named label. Reissued by Motown in 2003, the gold-certified album spun off the R&B No. 1 “Love Calls.” During his 20+ years with Motown, Kem co-released eight albums on Kemistry Records in conjunction with Motown. Those include the platinum-certified Album II and gold-certified Intimacy: Album III.

“At this stage of my career, it was the right move to make,” says Kem of cutting the cord with Motown last June and relaunching Kemistry Records. “I had good years at Motown. It was equitable; they made money for me and I made money for them. I wouldn’t discourage anybody from being signed to a label. There are benefits that come with that.

“But it was time to bring my career up to speed with how things are today,” he continues. “There’s a new sense of motivation and urgency. Being an established artist with a devoted fan base, I can go to my fans directly. I can release singles without necessarily being attached to an album right away.”

Which is what Kem has been doing. Working with longtime creative partner Rex Rideout, he recently scored his ninth No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay with “Rock With Me” – his first since 2022’s “Stuck on You.” In December came “Give My Love (Joy & Pain Remix)” featuring Boney James. Then that was followed last month by the inspirational anthem “One Love.”

“An R&B album is definitely forthcoming,” promises Kem. “I would like to do that this year as well and then go out on a bona fide tour in 2027.”

But Alkemy is top of mind now. “It feels more substantial than what we initially set out for it to be,” says Kem. “I trust the instincts of creating what I like; expressing the truth about myself artistically. That’s what I’m supposed to be doing. Anything else wouldn’t be authentic.”


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Jack Johnson considered naming the upcoming documentary SURFILMUSIC something more along the lines of “Make Stuff.” Those words stuck out to him as he and longtime friend and collaborator Emmett Malloy (director of Big Easy Express and The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights) compiled footage of Johnson’s life from his first steps to losing his front teeth in the water at Pipeline to becoming a household name through his music.

“You know how many mornings Emmett had to wake up to a text being like, ‘Why would I want to put a film out about me?’” Johnson jokes days before the 75-minute film is set to debut at Austin’s SXSW on March 13. The documentary unfolded from Johnson and Malloy combing through old footage as they prepared for the re-release of their surf films Thicker Than Water and September Sessions.

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“The more we started watching, the story kept unfolding that was just about a bunch of friends making things together and the story that collaborating sometimes is where the strength is and seeing things in each other before you see them in yourselves,” Johnson tells Billboard.

SURFILMUSIC, directed by Malloy, begins with a flip book drawing of a surfer catching a wave – a childhood drawing of Johnson’s. According to the musician, it’s the first piece of art he can remember making and sets up the film for an hour plus of Johnson, Malloy and their friends, including pro surfer Kelly Slater, as they grow up in Hawaii. Through interviews and unearthed footage, the film traces Johnson’s professional surfer days to his award-winning film career and finally as a globally renowned musician and activist.

The film is an ideal centerpiece for the 40th anniversary of SXSW that kicks off today (March 12) with an abbreviated timeline. For the first time in the music, film and tech festival’s history, all three verticals will be running at the same time due to the renovation of the Austin Convention Center. With the music and film verticals overlapping, musicians are able to screen their film during the day and perform later in the evening for both the film and music fans and critics.

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Johnson will screen SURFILMUSIC and perform alongside Hermanos Gutiérrez that evening at Stubb’s. And Johnson is not the only artist taking advantage of the overlap.

Noah Kahan, Charley Crockett, Lainey Wilson, Los Lobos and early 2000s girl group X-Cetra will also screen films at the festival. For Kahan (Out of Body), Crockett (A Cowboy in London) and Wilson (Keepin’ Country Cool), their films showcase their recent rise to global success, while, Johnson, Los Lobos (Los Lobos Native Sons) and X-Cetra (Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story) serve as career retrospectives.

“Having these documentaries come out earlier in their careers,” SXSW vp of music Brian Hobbs says, gives these artists “an opportunity to get on a massive stage and pull the curtain back a little bit to show people who they really are.”

“This is the largest number of films that are coordinating with a performance that we’ve had in the 21 years I’ve been here,” says SXSW vp of film and TV Claudette Godfrey, who adds that the film and music segments of the festival always try to overlap as much as possible. But, Godfrey explains, the film portion is also about discovery and half the films screen feature first time directors.

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While big names are attached to several of the films this year, the music and film crossovers were not selected just for the star power. “I want to feel that I got that behind the scenes, backstage pass of it all,” says Godfrey. “I don’t want it to feel super vanity or this is ‘this is me showcasing everything in the best possible light.’ I want it to feel more encompassing.”

For Hobbs, landing the Crockett and Wilson documentaries, along with their showcase performances, was especially important for this year’s festival.

“It was on our vision board for SXSW 2026, ‘We got to get more country music out here,’” Hobbs says. While country music is a dominant genre in Texas, Hobbs believes SXSW has not been at the forefront of country upstarts and credits music programmer Berkli Johnson with strengthening the genre’s presence.

This year’s focus on country music “is going to do what happened with hip-hop out here after Jay-Z and Kanye [West] stamped SXSW was a thing for hip-hop, then hip-hop really took over,” Hobbs says. “Peso Pluma and Grupo Frontera really stamped it for Latin music and now our Latin music has been going crazy. I’m really hoping that we’ll see the same thing happen with country music after this year.”


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Editor’s note: The list will be updated on about a monthly basis. Festivals that have already passed will be deleted from the list.

The 2026 festival season kicks off this weekend with a packed international lineup. The fun begins Friday (March 13) in Austin, Texas with Billboard Presents THE STAGE at SXSW at the Moody Amphitheater.

The three-night event (Mar. 13-15) will feature headliners Don Toliver, Junior H and Mau P, each representing a different musical genre (hip-hop, Mexican music, electronic music, respectively), with support from acts like Chase B, Oscar Ortiz and Apex Martin. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster, with options for SXSW badge and wristband holders.

Meanwhile, Saturday (March 14) will brings the iconic Vive Latino rock festival in Mexico City; La Cura Fest, Carín León’s first festival in his native Hermosillo, Mexico; as well as Lollapalooza Argentina and Lollapalooza Chile.

And this is just the beginning. Over the next few months, Latin music fans will have a variety of options to enjoy live music in festivals settings around the world, from Sueños in Chicago to the sprawling Starlite Occident Marbella in Spain — which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary with a lineup headlined by Lenny Kravitz, Maroon 5, Ozuna and Yandel.

There’s also Tecate Pa’l Norte, which — powered by the Mexican beer that gives it its name — celebrates northern tradition, musi, and art in Monterrey, Mexico. The border festival began in 2012 and, since then, has continued to bring some of the hottest artists in modern culture. This year’s lineup, taking place on March 27-29, includes acts such as Grupo Frontera, Los Fabulosos Cadillas, Guns N’ Roses, Interpol and Omar Courtz.

Then there’s the venerated Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, with this year’s headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G. More Latin music performers include Luísa Sonza, Los Hermanos Flores, Los Retros and RØZ. The event will take place over two consecutive weekends as usual (April 10-12 and 17-19).

While this may not be an exhaustive list, it serves as a comprehensive guide to some of the genre’s most significant events. Whether you’re a die-hard reggaetón fan, a salsa aficionado, or a lover of all things Latin, see our guide to the must-attend festivals across the globe, arranged in sequential order.


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Gorillaz reign on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart for the fourth time, topping the March 14-dated survey with The Mountain. It’s the animated band’s second No. 1 in a row, following the one-week rule of Cracker Island in 2023.

In the week ending March 5, The Mountain earned 53,000 equivalent album units in the United States, according to Luminate. That sum includes 38,000 album sales, of which 19,000 were via vinyl configurations.

Gorillaz first led Top Rock & Alternative Albums, which began in 2006, with Plastic Beach in 2010, followed by Humanz in 2017. The band was even part of the chart’s inaugural edition; Demon Days, which was released in 2005, ranked at No. 7 on the initial Jan. 14, 2006, tally. Concurrently, The Mountain bows at No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200, Gorillaz’s seventh top 10, dating to Demon Days. The Damon Albarn-led band’s best remains the No. 2 peaks of Plastic Beach and Humanz.

Three songs from The Mountain appear on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, paced by “The Moon Cave,” which debuts at No. 24 as the week’s highest bow. The track, which features Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, David Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought, earned 2.4 million official U.S. streams.

The Mountain’s release was prefaced by lead single “The Happy Dictator,” featuring Sparks, which peaked at Nos. 21 and 28 on Adult Alternative Airplay and Alternative Airplay, respectively, last year. Another single, “Orange County,” is currently bubbling under Adult Alternative Airplay. The song features contributions from Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar.


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When 2016 started, Bad Gyal was dreaming of becoming a superstar, living what could feel like three lives, working two jobs while studying fashion design. She was recording herself in her apartment with a microphone and egg cartons as soundproofing while trying to make a living, but with her vision focused on which of her dreams were about to start.

Bad Gyal describes her new album, Más Cara, as a metaphor for the evolution of her career after 10 years dedicating herself to music and her rise from a very underground artist. “You can see videos of me recording in the first apartment I had. I came from a very street-like scene,” she told Billboard in our latest “Takes Us Out” sit-down. “From recording with whatever you could, and after 10 years, I feel so lucky for all the resources I have.”

Born in Barcelona, Spain, on March 7, 1997, Alba Farelo — better known as Bad Gyal—has seen many of her dreams come true with this album, which marks a significant chapter in her life since her career more than a decade ago. “I feel that many things died and were born. I started studying fashion design at a private school after saving up,” she said during her interview in Miami. “I would wake up, go to university, grab a container with food I had prepared, go to my job, eat it on a bench while waiting for my turn to start my next job, and on weekends, I would begin performing my first small shows. It was like living three lives at the same time.”

Drawing inspiration from the aesthetics of early 2000s R&B, Bad Gyal captures not only visuals but also sound, conveying her confident, flirtatious energy while paying tribute to the era that significantly influenced her.

In the lively atmosphere of Miami’s Michelin-starred Korean Steakhouse COTE, one of her favorite places, Bad Gyal opens up about Más Cara, which dropped on March 6th, just before her birthday. She reminisces about the memories this restaurant stirs, her Barcelona roots, and reveals the most Pisces sides of herself.

Watch the full interview above.


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Bad Gyal opens up about the meaning behind ‘Más Cara’ and her journey from underground artist to global star at Cote Miami. She shares the recording session with Chencho at Luny Tunes’ studio in Puerto Rico, the emotional story behind the Jadiel remix, her sisterhood with Tokischa, and reflects on her unforgettable experience at Bad Bunny’s “La Casita.” 

Bad Gyal:

I recently saw her in person for the first time and I was fangirling so hard. No, I didn’t talk to her or anything, I had her at the table next to me and I was the whole time like… Looking at her, just watching her. I felt so fulfilled. I have merengue, I have compas from Haiti. I have zouk from Martinique. I mean, look, I’m a fan of all Caribbean music. I kneel and bow down to you. 

Ingrid Fajardo:

Hi, Bad Gyal. How are you? 

Hi, how are you? 

Welcome to Miami. 

Well, I’m very happy to see you here. We always see each other super busy working, and this environment is cool. 

I know. So, where are we? 

We’re at Cote. The food is really good here. 

Yeah? Is it one of your favorite restaurants? 

It’s one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. And I also have memories because I came quite a bit while I was creating the album, which I made almost all of it here. 

Aaah! 

So, post-studio, if we finished early one day, we had come a few times because the food is delicious. 

I love it. And I love that it has a connection with the album.

Keep watching for more!