Richard Gottehrer accepts the Lifetime Award from Brad Navin at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2026.
RAYE accepts the Indie Spirit Award from Jason Lipshutz at Billboard’s Indie Power Players 2026.
Pooh Shiesty is set for a February 2027 trial in the bombshell criminal case that alleges he forced Gucci Mane to sign a record deal release at gunpoint.
The rapper (Lontrell Williams Jr.) was assigned the trial date in a Friday (June 5) court order obtained by Billboard. He’s set to be tried in Texas federal court alongside eight alleged co-conspirators, including his father, Lontrell Williams Sr., and fellow rapper Big30 (Rodney Wright Jr.).
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Shiesty and his co-defendants were arrested in April and accused of kidnapping and extortion, charges that carry up to life in prison if they’re convicted. The case stems from a January business meeting at a Dallas recording studio over Shiesty’s contract with Mane’s 1017 Records label.
Prosecutors allege that Sheisty and his co-conspirators pulled out guns, barricaded Mane’s team inside a recording studio and forced Mane to sign paperwork releasing Shiesty from his record deal. The group is also accused of stealing jewelry and other high-value items during the incident.
All the defendants who have been arraigned so far have entered not-guilty pleas. Shiesty’s lawyer, Kent Schaffer, recently told Billboard regarding the charges, “We have not seen anything that leads me to believe that our client will be convicted.”
Chris Knox, who represents Shiesty’s father, said in a statement, “We disagree with the government’s allegations and representations regarding what happened at the music studio. Indictments are drafted by prosecutors and only tell one side of a story. We are confident that the evidence in this case will show that Lontrell Williams Sr. is not guilty of the offenses with which he has been charged.”
A trial was initially set for this July, but it was pushed to Feb. 22, 2027, after all parties agreed that they needed more time to sift through the evidence and prepare. Some of the defendants, including Williams Sr., have been released on bail in the meantime. Shiesty, however, remains in custody.
Last month, Judge Renée Harris Toliver denied Shiesty’s bail request after hearing testimony from an FBI agent and determining there’s “probable cause to believe that defendant committed the law violations alleged in the criminal complaint.”
The judge also ruled that Shiesty is not to be trusted outside of custody, given that the alleged kidnapping occurred when the rapper was still on house arrest following his October release from prison on previous gun charges.
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Drake just dropped another perfume under his line Better World Fragrance House. The scent is called Cloudar Eau de Parfum and is now available for purchase at Ulta Beauty. And according to the retailer, the fragrance is in demand, labeled as a hot item on its website.
This is Drake’s second fragrance, following Summer Mink, as it comes in three sizes: a 3.4-ounce bottle for $152, a 1.0-ounce bottle for $86 and a travel-size 0.34-ounce bottle for $38. The scent, per Better World Fragrance House, is described as, “a moment between two people, when something shifts, and no one can explain why. The air changes. Attention sharpens. Whatever was happening before falls away.”
Top notes consist of crystallized ginger, sparkling mandarin and crisp nashi pear, which translates into a zingy, fruity, and fresh scent. Then you have the middle notes, often called the heart of the perfume, consisting of clary sage, jasmine sambac and lily of the valley. Together, the notes create an herbaceous and floral accord that complements the fruity, spicy opening.
The base notes are comprised of tonka bean, Haitian vetiver grass and atlas cedar. Base notes are the foundation of all fragrances and provide more depth. Cutting through all the sweetness and florals, you’ve got atlas cedar, which is woody, earthy Haitian vetiver grass and tonka bean, which provides warmth and a vanilla quality.
Cloudar Eau de Parfum, 3.4 ounces
This perfume was created in collaboration with longtime perfumer Michael Carby.
Altogether, Cloudar is mostly light, fruity and floral, with a warm undertone that adds complexity, differentiating it from Summer Mink. The scent is like walking through a national park on a warm summer day with towering trees and wildflowers dotted throughout your path.
Cloudar Eau de Parfum serves as a lighter counterpart to Summer Mink’s warmer, muskier and heavier scent (something you’d wear on a night out), while the new fragrance still maintains those woody and citrus notes. If you liked Drake’s last drop but thought the fragrance was a bit overbearing, this latest edition is for you.
The bottle, like the scent, is also a work of art. The spherical shape and accompanying stand remind us of brutalist works from architects like Ernő Goldfinger and Marcel Breuer. Its base is angular and harsh, while the bottle is soft and round, creating contrast. The large 3.4-ounce bottle should last you a significant amount of time, while the travel size is good to keep in your bag for spritzing on the go.
“We wanted Cloudar to be distinct without feeling overpowering. It’s effortless, fresh and light—something you can wear every day because it’s right for almost any situation. It works just as well on a Saturday morning as it does at dinner that night,” says Matte Babel, BWFH co-founder and a member of Drake’s management team, in a statement.
Meanwhile, Drake dropped his latest album titled Iceman in mid-May. The 14-track project was accompanied by two other albums, Habibti and Maid of Honour, on the same day. Many artists were featured throughout the three projects, from Future and PartyNextDoor to Central Cee and 21 Savage.
Madonna has never been one to hold back about her sex life, even if the details involve other famous faces.
Her candid response to questions about the people she has enjoyed having sex with during a recent interview has a member of the Kennedy family — Jack Schlossberg, JFK Jr.’s nephew — chiming in.
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During an interview in late May with the dating app Grindr, Madge was asked about her “best d— down.” Unfiltered as usual, the 67-year-old replied, “I’m only going to name dead people,” before proceeding to whisper, “John Kennedy Jr.”
Schlossberg, who is running for Congress in New York, was put in the hot seat by TV host Andy Cohen regarding Madge’s feedback. During an interview on Radio Andy, Cohen asked the writer-turned-politician his thoughts on Madonna’s reference to his uncle’s performance in the sack.
“When you hear someone like Madonna say, ‘JFK Jr. was some of the best sex I’ve ever had,’ do you chuckle at that?” Cohen asked.
Schlossberg paused, thought out his response and said, “All I can say is that I bet she was right.”
“There you go. That’s a good answer,” Cohen replied, acknowledging that Schlossberg was running for office and had to think carefully about how he would answer.
The Queen of Pop is on a press run to promote her forthcoming project, Confessions II, her 15th studio album. Her previous project, Madame X, was a hit for the singer, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in June 2019 and marking her ninth No. 1 album in the United States.
On June 8, the pop diva was announced by Italian makeup brand KIKO Milano as its global brand ambassador during an exclusive event in New York City. Madonna, whose visual project Confessions II — The Film recently premiered at the Tribeca Festival, has been busy promoting her upcoming album, which drops July 3.
See the interview here:
The BRIT Awards will return to Manchester’s Co-op Live in 2027, organizers confirmed on Tuesday (June 9; June 10 in England). The event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27, with the ceremony once again broadcasting live on ITV1 and ITVX.
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The 2026 edition was also held at the Oak View Group-owned Co-op Live, marking the first time the BRIT Awards had taken place outside of London in its nearly 50-year history. It had previously taken place at The O2 Arena (2012-2025), as well as various venues in the capital including Earl’s Court (1996-2011) and Alexandra Palace (1993-1995).
Stacey Tang, co-president of RCA Records at Sony Music U.K., has been reappointed chair of the 2027 BRITs Committee and will oversee all aspects of the show, including its creative direction. Tang will lead a committee comprising representatives from major and independent record labels, BRITs TV and the BPI.
Tang, who featured on Billboard U.K.’s 2026 Power Players list, also led the committee for the 2026 ceremony. The BRITs’ presence in Manchester featured activations across the city, as well as free-to-attend panels and workshops as part of the debut BRITs Fringe.
The news follows a successful BRIT Awards earlier this year, which organizers say delivered the largest global audience in the event’s history. The show featured performances from Harry Styles and EJAE, AUDREY NUNA and REI AMI (the voices behind K-Pop Demon Hunters’ HUNTR/X), alongside Mark Ronson, Olivia Dean, Rosalía, RAYE and Wolf Alice.
Dean collected four awards on the night, including album of the year for her blockbuster second LP, The Art of Loving. Other big winners included Noel Gallagher, who was named songwriter of the year, as well as Lola Young, who took home the breakthrough artist prize.
“It’s a real privilege to return as Chair and to be back in Manchester for a second year,” said Tang in a statement. “There was such an incredible energy around the 2026 show — across the city, the industry and with fans everywhere. I’m excited to build on that global success alongside a brilliant team, pushing the show creatively and continuing to celebrate the artists, the culture and the communities that make British music what it is.”
BPI CEO Dr. Jo Twist OBE added: “Following the record-breaking success of this year’s show in Manchester, we can’t wait to return to the Co-op Live to continue celebrating and championing music and creativity to a global audience, from a city with a great heritage that has truly welcomed and embraced us with open arms. We look forward to further developing our cultural impact across the U.K. and in Manchester itself around next year’s show.”
Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig said: “This year’s BRIT Awards in Manchester were a huge success with a global reach and massive local impact, and we’re excited and ready to help make 2027 the biggest year yet for The BRITs!”
Continued Craig: “The impact of the awards was felt across the city region, from the cash benefit for our economy, showcasing small local music venues, incredible opportunities for our up-and-coming young musicians and creatives, and engagement with Greater Manchester schools — and we’ll be creating even more ways for them, for local people across GM and for visitors to get involved in next year’s awards, which look set to be another incredible celebration of music and our city.”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The 23rd FIFA World Cup takes place across North America with the best and brightest soccer players and national teams from around the world, including Argentina, France, Spain, Brazil, England and Team USA, as well as other countries, competing to win the highly coveted FIFA World Cup trophy.
And for 2026, 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, like New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Mexico City and others, will host the soccer tournament starting on Thursday (June 11).
How to Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup Online, At a Glance:
- Date: June 11-July 19
- Broadcast Channels: FOX and FOX Sports (in English); Telemundo and Universo (in Spanish)
- Streaming: DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, Peacock, ExpressVPN
Who Is Performing During 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The opening ceremony of the World Cup is spread across two days, Thursday (June 11) and Friday (June 12), and takes place in each host nation, including Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte) in Mexico City, Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) in Toronto and Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Los Angeles.
Performances across venues include Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla (USA); as well as Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé and others (Canada); and Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs and others (Mexico).
For the halftime show during the World Cup Final on Sunday, July 19, Madonna, Shakira and BTS are headlining.
When Does 2026 FIFA World Cup Start?
World Cup matches broadcast starting Thursday (June 11) and ends with the final on Sunday (July 19). The international soccer tournament airs live on FOX and FOX Sports (FS1) in English, and Telemundo and Universo for Spanish-language broadcasts. Check out a complete schedule for matches and kickoff times here.
Where to Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup Online for Free
Cord-cutters have a few ways to watch World Cup online, especially if you want to watch for free. Online streaming platforms, like DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and others have free trials, so you can watch FOX, FOX Sports, Telemundo and Universo for free.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch the matches online without cable.
You can livestream the World Cup on FOX and FOX Sports with DirecTV’s “Entertainmet” package. The streaming service’s most comprehensive plan is the “Entertainment” signature streaming package with more than 90 live channels, which includes plenty of other sports channels: ESPN, ESPN2, FS2, NBA TV, NHL Network and more. For a limited time, new subscribers can get DirecTV for just $59.99 for the first month of service (reg. $89.99 per month) with DirecTV’s current deals.
Meanwhile, a subscription to DirecTV also grants you access to the FOX One app for every FOX network, including FOX, FOX Sports and others.
The streamer offers the “MySports Genre Pack” with over 20 sports channels, like FOX and FOX Sports, and access to ESPN Unlimited. It goes for $49.99 per month for the first two months of service ($64.99 per month afterward).
In addition, FOX, FOX Sports and Universo are available via the “Ultimate” package, which goes for $89.99 per month for the first month ($124.99 per month afterward) and comes with over 160 channels.
If you only want to watch matches with a Spanish-language broadcast, then DirecTV offers the “MiEspañol Genre Pack” for $29.99 per month for the first two months of service ($34.99 per month afterward) and includes more than Spanish-language channels, like Telemundo and Universo.
You can stream up to three devices with a subscription to DirecTV, as well as unlimited cloud DVR to record your favorite TV shows to watch back on-demand. Sign up for a five-day free trial to start watching online.
A subscription to Sling Blue, which comes with FOX and goes for $45.99 per month, gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels. You can watch local networks such as NBC and ABC (in select markets), while you can watch many cable networks too. Additionally, a subscription to Sling TV comes with access to the FOX One app. Just use your Sling TV login credentials and you can watch World Cup matches on FOX and FOX Sports.
Although Sling TV doesn’t include access for Telemundo, the streaming service does include Universo as part of the Sling Latino plan, which goes for $10 per month. It comes with more than 20 Spanish-language broadcast channels too.
Please note: Prices and channel availability depends on your local TV market. You can learn more about Sling TV here.
Want to watch international World Cup matches in the United States? ExpressVPN is a virtual private network that allows you to watch different broadcasts from various countries, if you want to add some local color to your World Cup watching.
For example: If you’re French, but you live in New York City, then you can still watch French National Team matches on Métropole Télévision (Groupe M6) in the U.S. Just launch the ExpressVPN app on your smartphone, laptop, streaming device or web browser (via extension), set your location to Paris or Strasbourg in France, and then fire up the M6 app to start watching. You’ll be able to watch matches from TV channels located overseas with prices starting at $2.79 per month for 28 months. Learn more about ExpressVPN here.
With prices starting at $48.99 per month for the first month of service, Fubo’s “Pro” plan is a cable alternative streaming service that offers the World Cup broadcasts on FOX and FOX Sports. The plan features more than 200 other channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, MLB.TV, MLB Network, NHL Network and others. Fubo comes with a five-day free trial, so you can try out the service before you commit month-to-month.
Plus, Fubo gets you access to the FOX One app for World Cup matches on FOX and FOX Sports. Unfortunately, the streaming service doesn’t include Telemundo and Universo.
If you don’t have a Hulu + Live TV subscription, the streamer offers a free trial that’ll get you your first three days free to access FOX, FOX Sports and Telemundo. Once the free trial is over, you’ll be charged the regular subscription fee, which starts at $89.99 per month. For even more content, Hulu + Live TV bundles with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost to watch even more exclusive and original sporting events and programming.
There are two different plans offered on Peacock: The Premium Plan for $10.99 per month or the Premium Plus Plan for $16.99 per month. Both plans feature World Cup matches on Telemundo and Universo for Spanish-language broadcasts.
If you’re looking to save some money, you can get 17% off when you do the annual plan for $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year. With the Premium Plan, it’s ad-supported and you’ll receive access to a wide range of movies, TV shows, originals, live sports from NBC Sports and live news from NBC News. Peacock’s Premium Plus plan comes with everything in the Premium plan, as well as no ads, your local NBC channel live and the ability to download and stream offline.
Alongside World Cup matches, you’ll have access to even more live sports, including games and matches from Premiere League, MLB, WNBA, NBA, NFL and other leagues.
The streaming platform doesn’t offer a free trial, but it does come with a couple of affordable plans starting at $10.99 per month. In addition, you can get 30 days of access to Peacock for as low as $1 with Walmart+, as one of the service’s benefits and perks. Learn more about Walmart+ and Peacock here.
In the meantime, 2026 FIFA World Cup matches are available to watch on FOX and FOX Sports for English-language broadcasts, or Telemundo and Universo for Spanish-language broadcasts via DirecTV, starting on Thursday (June 11).
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
Google says in a new court filing that YouTube’s terms of service grant a “broad license” for artificial intelligence models to be trained on music uploaded directly to the platform.
This argument came in Google’s Monday (June 8) motion to dismiss copyright infringement litigation filed earlier this year by a group of independent artists, songwriters and producers. The lawsuit claims that Lyria 3, the AI music model launched by Google in February, was trained on songs ripped from YouTube without compensating artists.
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The case is among dozens that have accused AI companies of illegally training their models on copyrighted sound, text and images in recent years. In most of these lawsuits — including ones brought by the major record labels against AI music generators Suno and Udio — tech companies have argued that the so-called fair use principle of copyright law allows them to create transformative works without licensing the training data.
The Google case is different, though, because the tech giant owns YouTube, one of the biggest music streaming platforms in the world. Rather than making a fair use argument, Google’s lawyers say in Monday’s brief that they actually do have a license to train AI with the songs uploaded to YouTube by these indie artists.
“Their lawsuit is based on the unsupported hypothesis that Google trained on their specific works,” reads the motion, filed by powerhouse litigation firm Quinn Emanuel. “Even accepting their untested allegations as fact, the complaint cannot stand. Plaintiffs each granted YouTube, and Google — which provides the service — a broad license to use the uploaded content. That license, present in YouTube’s terms of service, authorized the conduct alleged in the complaint.”
Specifically, the motion cites a clause in YouTube’s terms of service that states, “By providing content to the service, you grant to YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable and transferable license to use that content (including to reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works, display and perform it) in connection with the service and YouTube’s (and its successors’ and affiliates’) business.”
These terms of service govern all individual users who upload music directly to YouTube – meaning, if Google’s argument is accepted by the court, the company would be legally permitted to train AI models on and otherwise utilize that content for “derivative works.” However, the situation might be different for music distributed through YouTube pursuant to licensing agreements with labels and publishers.
All of the major music companies, as well as indie labels and publishers, have licensing deals with YouTube that govern copyright protection and royalty payouts. Whether AI training is permitted likely differs from license to license, depending on the grants around derivative works. Some companies have even added AI-specific language in recent years that sets forth rules for whether and how music on the platform can be used for Google’s AI initiatives.
For example, during the investor earnings call for Universal Music Group (UMG) this past October, CEO Lucian Grainge said the company’s renewed licensing deal with YouTube “secured really important guardrails and protection for our artists and writers around Gen AI content.”
Google has not explicitly disclosed what material was included in the Lyria 3 training dataset. In a statement to Billboard when the model was rolled out, a Google representative said it was trained on music that Google has “a right to use under our terms of service, partner agreements, and applicable law.”
A rep for Google declined on Tuesday (June 9) to comment beyond the court papers. The attorneys pursuing the Lyria 3 lawsuit did not immediately return a request for comment. They will file opposition papers fighting Google’s motion to dismiss the case in the coming weeks.
As a proposed class action, the lawsuit is aimed at eventually representing all indie artists who’ve allegedly been harmed by Google’s AI training. Its named plaintiffs are singer/songwriter Sam Kogon, composer/producer Magnus Fiennes, songwriter/producer Michael Mell, R&B group Attack the Sound, father-and-son folk rock duo Stan Burjek and James Burjek, and the Chicago-based band Directrix.
This same group previously brought similar copyright lawsuits against AI music companies Suno, Udio and Mureka. The more closely watched front in the AI music copyright war, though, is litigation launched in 2024 by UMG, Warner Music Group (WMG) and Sony alleging Suno and Udio infringed their IP “at an almost unimaginable scale.”
UMG and WMG both settled with Udio in the fall, striking deals for the company to train a new model on licensed work that will remain within a “walled garden” on the platform. WMG later settled with Suno as well, agreeing to a licensed training model that allows for off-platform distribution. UMG is still suing Suno, and Sony has not settled with either company.
All eyes are on the NBA Finals right now, as the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs continue their fierce contest — with the former hoping to win its first championship since 1973. In celebration of the first game in this momentous match-up, ESPN and Spotify teamed up for ESPN Presents: Spotify Live Sessions — NBA Finals Party.
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Tapped for a special performance at the invite-only event on the opening night of the best-of-seven series (June 3) was Grammy Award-nominated artist Destin Conrad.
The creator-led immersive experience at Spotify’s Los Angeles headquarters also featured live DJ sets from Austin J. Mills. Among the guest list of creators, tastemakers and fans were actor-singer Trevor Jackson (Grey’s Anatomy, grown-ish) and social media influencer/content creator Mariah Linney, a former guard for the University of North Carolina’s Charlotte 49ers basketball team.
ESPN Presents: Spotify Live Sessions — NBA Finals Party
Kristina Bakrevski, Courtesy of Spotify and ESPNtesy of Spo
For the occasion, Spotify’s Los Angeles headquarters was transformed into a “House of Legends” motif. In addition to watching the game in a lounge-style viewing area, guests were treated to various activations, including a basketball shooting competition and a custom hat engraving station. In addition to Conrad’s post-game performance, The Club520 podcast went live at halftime, hosted by former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague, his brother DJ Wells and Bishop “B Hen” Henn.
Conrad’s setlist for the party included “Party Wit U,” “Bad Bitches” and “Kissing in Public.” The singer/songwriter was a first-time Grammy nominee at the 68th annual ceremony, earning a nomination in the best progressive R&B album category for debut album Love on Digital. Conrad’s latest project is wHIMSY!, the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed alternative jazz album wHIMSY. The EMPIRE artist will kick off the second leg of his wHIMSY! tour on July 17 in St. Louis.
Wynonna will release her first solo album in a decade this fall, when her album The Hard Truth releases Oct. 2 via ANTI- Records.
This album will mark her first time co-writing a project and will welcome fellow artists and storytellers Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), The War and Treaty, and Iron & Wine.
“I’ve spent a lifetime singing about heartbreak, healing, faith, and survival, but I’ve never made a record like this one,” Wynonna said in a statement about the album. “These songs tell the truth about where I’ve been, what I’ve lost, what I’ve overcome, and who I’ve become. This album asked me to be brave enough to tell the truth—even when my voice shook. It challenged me to let go of perfectionism and embrace the beauty of honest emotion. My hope is that when you hear these songs, you feel what I was feeling while writing and recording them. If they help someone feel seen, understood, or a little less alone, then every hard truth was worth telling.”
Wynonna worked with her husband, producer/musician Cactus Moser, to create the project’s songs.
“Being a part of this record, and helping bring these songs to life as its producer, has been the most important work I’ve known,” Moser said in a statement. “We started with nothing but a feeling and emotion and ended up with an entire album that captures Wynonna’s story with a level of honesty she’s never experienced in her career. It’s the kind of record that makes a difference and reminds you why music exists in the first place.”
The album’s lead single, “Kentucky Queen,” finds Wynonna singing of forging triumph from dark times, while also reclaiming her home state. Wynonna wrote the song with Moser, Sarah Siskind and Justin Weaver.
This summer, Wynonna will be on a co-headlining tour with Melissa Etheridge and will also lead a mini-tour of Kentucky shows, including a concert in Wynonna’s hometown of Ashland.
See the track list for Wynonna’s album The Hard Truth below:
1. “Prelude (All Downhill From Ashland)”
2. “All Downhill From Ashland”
3. “Everything” (feat. Patterson Hood)
4. “Am I Missing Out”
5. “Broken And Blessed”
6. “Hear Me Now” (feat. Iron & Wine)
7. “The Hopeful Lie” (feat. The War And Treaty)
8. “Kentucky Queen”
9. “Girl Who Could Sing”
10. “Drive”
11. “Love Ain’t Got The Best Of Me”
