Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

This week, Bruno Mars drops his first solo album in 10 years, BLACKPINK returns as a group with its third mini album and RAYE released the latest single from her forthcoming second album out in March… plus much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Bruno Mars, The Romantic

Bruno Mars made a strategic splash at the Grammys in January, not only opening the show with his and Rosé’s global smash “APT.” but also performing his new solo hit, “I Just Might,” later in the ceremony. The single not only debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 but also offered the only preview into his anticipated fourth album, The Romantic, out today. The nine-track project comes on the heels of a hot streak for hitmaker Mars, following his Lady Gaga collaboration “Die With a Smile” and, of course, “APT.” With his first solo project in a decade, Mars is affirming what we already know: the man’s a hit machine — and with tracks like the sweet opening serenade “Risk It All” and suave slow jam “God Was Showing Off” he reminds us that yes, he’s always been the romantic.

BLACKPINK, DEADLINE

Following impressive solo debuts for Lisa (Alter Ego), JENNIE (Ruby), Rosé (Rosie) and an EP for Jisoo (Amortage), the foursome better known as global sensation BLACKPINK is back with its third mini EP, DEADLINE. The five-track project includes the celebratory and energetic return single “JUMP” alongside “GO, “Me and my,” Champion and “Fxxxboy.” According to a statement from YG Entertainment, all five tracks were created over extended periods of time while DEADLINE as a whole showcases “BLACKPINK at its most radiant.”

RAYE, “Nightingale Lane.”

“This is a song about the greatest heartbreak I’ve ever known,” says RAYE, introducing her new single with an inviting intimacy that makes listeners feel like they’re eavesdropping on an open mic night. With “Nightingale Lane.” (which recalls the cadence and delivery of the tear-inducing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”) RAYE does what she does best and delivers a tale of heart ache with enough wisdom, hope and, of course, vocal power to help transform a painful memory into a performance that somehow leaves listeners uplifted. Fitting, for a single off an album titled This Music May Contain Hope.

Towa Bird, “Gentleman”

Pop-rocker and guitarist Towa Bird returns with one-off “Gentleman,” produced by Patrick Wimberly (MGMT, Blood Orange) and built around a rousing riff. The song balances the playfulness of its lyrics (Sharp shooter/ A breadwinner/ I’m toast) with the grungy brashness of its composition, resulting in a track that at just two minutes and 17 seconds begs to be replayed.

Elmiene, “Honour”

Ahead of Elmiene’s anticipated debut album, out in March, the British singer released a two-pack today including singles “Honour” and “I Want In.” Of his forthcoming album, Songs For Someone, the artist — and Billboard‘s R&B Rookie for February — said in a statement: “Making this album was painful, I felt lonely sometimes, I felt loved sometimes. I felt guilty sometimes and I felt forgiven sometimes but most of all it was an important duty to myself that I needed to fulfill.” On “Honour,” Elmiene tosses a coin with loneliness on one side and love on the other by attempting to stay true to a basic need, but not knowing which side will face up in doing so.

Angèle and Justice, “What You Want”

Belgian pop singer Angèle first broke out stateside with her Dua Lipa team-up “Fever” and now, she’s paired with iconic French duo Justice for the haunting and heavy “What You Want.” Angèle’s airy vocals perfectly contrast the harder-edged production, resulting in a track that sucks you into its mysterious world. After meeting backstage at Justice’s show, Angèle invited the pair to her studio to hear some demos she had been working on, including “What You Want.” As she shared in a statement: “I thought Justice could bring the electro-club expertise — and the tension — that were missing from that first version…They brought a power to the track that the intention and balance had been missing.”

Jill Scott’s first studio album in more than a decade, To Whom This May Concern, debuts in the top 10 across seven Billboard charts (dated Feb. 28), including a No. 7 arrival on Top Album Sales. It also takes a bow in the top 10 on Top R&B Albums (No. 4), Independent Albums (No. 6), Vinyl Albums (No. 6), Indie Store Album Sales (No. 6), Top Current Album Sales (No. 7) and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (No. 10).

Scott’s last studio album, Woman, was released in 2015.

The new set marks Scott’s fifth top 10 on the Top Album Sales chart and her ninth on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

Scott’s latest is one of three debuts in the top 10 of the Top Album Sales chart, joining Charli xcx’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack (No. 3) and Brent Faiyaz’s Icon (No. 5).

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units.

Elsewhere in the top 10 of Top Album Sales, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS rises 3-1 for its second week in the lead,ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR : Part.4 falls to No. 2 in its second week, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving rises 7-4, ENHYPEN’s former No. 1 THE SIN : VANISH climbs 8-6, Stray Kids’ chart-topping DO IT rises 12-8, Taylor Swift’s former leader The Life of a Showgirl vaults 17-9 and the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack closes out the top 10 with a 14-10 rise.

Nearly two weeks after Valentine’s Day, Bruno Mars plays the role of love doctor with the release of his anticipated album The Romantic, out on Friday (Feb. 27).

It’s the hitmaker’s first solo album since 2016, and The Romantic boasts nine tracks in total, including the Billboard Hot 100-topping single “I Just Might,” which marked his first debut and 10th overall entry at the summit. The track is still holding strong inside the top 10 at No. 6 on the Hot 100 at press time.

Bruno will be spreading the love across the globe, with The Romantic Tour invading stadiums across North America and Europe later this year.

The singer-songwriter’s Silk Sonic running mate, Anderson. Paak, will be joining him on the trek, while RAYE, Victoria Monét and Leon Thomas will also be providing support on various legs.

The global trek kicks off with a pair of shows in Las Vegas on April 10 and 11, before heading to Houston, Atlanta, Nashville, Toronto, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philly, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans and more before it wraps up with shows north of the border in Vancouver, B.C., on Oct. 16 and 17.

For the European fans, Bruno’s slated to make stops in Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Milan and Madrid this summer.

Bruno Mars teamed up with TikTok and iHeartRadio to give fans an early listen of The Romantic on Thursday night (Feb. 26), which saw him hosting Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars: An iHeartRadio Album Preview.

Bruno’s last solo album, 24K Magic, arrived in November 2016 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The LP would go on to win album of the year at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

Stream The Romantic below.

Rolling Loud Australia 2026 has been scrapped just a week before showtime.

The hip-hop fest was meant to return this year for the first time since 2019, this time with shows in two east coast cities. Gunna was booked to headline the even, which was to touch down Saturday, March 7 at Sydney’s Centennial Park and wrap up Sunday, March 8 at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse.

Those shows won’t be going ahead. A statement posted to Rolling Loud Australia’s social channels and official website reads, “we’re really disappointed to announce that Rolling Loud Australia in Sydney and Melbourne will not move forward.”

Reps for the global hip-hop brand point the finger at local partners Primuse Entertainment, claiming important deadlines and obligations weren’t met. “These ongoing delays left us without the necessary guarantees so close to the event,” the statement claims. Ticket owners will be refunded, with further details to be provided by the event organizers and or the official ticketing partners

“This one hurts,” the message reads.

Other international performers on the bill included Ken Carson, Sexyy Red, Tyga, Swae Lee, Lil Tjay, Ski Mask the Slump God, NLE Choppa, Quavo, Ian and rising rapper Osamason.

Billboard reached out to Primuse Australia for comment. “We are aware of media reports regarding Rolling Loud Australia. As the local promoter, we are currently in discussion with Rolling Loud and will provide an official update as soon as possible,” reads its own media release. “We ask fans to wait for confirmed information, which will be communicated directly via our official channels.”

It’s an unfortunate end to Rolling Loud Australia 2026, which was reentering a festivals landscape cratered by festival cancelations. In recent years, Esoteric Festival, Caloundra Music Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo, Listen Out and other major events have either paused their events, or disappeared entirely from the calendar.