Taylor Swift is breaking multiple Billboard chart records in Canada.

As with many of the artist’s recent releases, Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, has been a blockbuster success since its release on Oct. 3.

According to new data from Universal Music Canada, Luminate and Billboard Canada chart performance, in its first week of charting, Showgirl was the biggest album debut in the country for Swift in the modern streaming era — or for any artist.

The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, her 15th No. 1 on the chart. With this milestone, Swift is now tied with Canadian icon Celine Dion for the most No. 1 albums of all time in the country and is the only non-Canadian artist to reach that mark.

Swift’s last album, 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, stayed at No. 1 for 12 weeks. Showgirl’s win continues Swift’s streak of 14 consecutive studio albums debuting at No. 1, beginning with 2008’s Fearless and including the four “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings: Red, 1989, Fearless and Speak Now.

Showgirl has now cemented Swift as the sole artist with all top 5 of the highest album debuts in Canada in the streaming era (since streams began contributing to Billboard chart performance in the early 2010s).

On last week’s Billboard Canadian Hot 100, the week of Oct. 18, the top 12 entries were all of the album’s 12 tracks. The album’s lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” hit No. 1 and has become the most-streamed song in a single day and a single week in Canadian history. 

The Life of a Showgirl reportedly amassed over 1.5 billion global streams, securing the largest debut of 2025.

This isn’t the first time Swift has broken records in Canada — last year’s The Tortured Poets Department and her Post Malone-featuring single “Fortnight” earned similar chart records. At this point, Swift is competing with herself.

Read more here.

Samantha O’Connor Joins MRG Live as Senior Talent Buyer, Will Continue to Lead RAPSEASON

Samantha O’Connor has been appointed as MRG Live’s senior talent buyer.

The music industry executive will continue to lead RAPSEASON, Canada’s biggest hip-hop concert and culture promoter.

O’Connor previously led the brand in her last role as talent buyer at INK Entertainment. In her new role at MRG, she will continue to grow the RAPSEASON brand and promote shows across the country.

Founded in 2015, RAPSEASON has presented concerts with a-list artists including Future, Central Cee, Cardi B, Post Malone, Summer Walker and Daniel Caesar, to name just a small sample. Now, RAPSEASON moves from INK to MRG, one of the country’s largest independent concert and live event companies.

“With the support and resources of MRG Live, I’m excited to continue growing the RAPSEASON brand, not only in Toronto, but nationally and internationally,” says O’Connor. “This next chapter offers an incredible opportunity to expand our reach, connect with new audiences, and spotlight the talent that drives the culture forward.”

Under O’Connor’s leadership, RAPSEASON is set to be introduced to new markets across its network throughout Canada. Currently, The MRG Group owns and operates 14 properties in Canada, including Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Adelaide Hall, Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre and The Revelry in Kelowna, British Columbia, and produces over 1,000 live shows annually through MRG Live. RAPSEASON branded content will also be integrated with the company’s media publication, Beatroute.

“Samantha O’Connor has proven a great astuteness in securing top-tier, identifying emerging talent and continuing to build the RAPSEASON brand,” shares Matt Gibbons, president of The MRG Group. “We are looking forward to both her and the brand’s further growth as they both integrate into our global network, our resources and our overall strategic approach.”

Read more here.

Ms. Lauryn Hill Embarking On Intimate Cross-Canada Tour

Ms. Lauryn Hill is making her return to Canada.

Independent, female-led promoter F7 Live announced the news, sharing the details of Hill’s tour, which kicks off this fall. The legendary American R&B singer and Fugees member is set to perform eight cross-country shows in intimate venues as part of her Artist In Residence tour.

The tour kicks off in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Nov. 19 at Burton Cummings Theatre, with further stops in Vancouver, Hamilton, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa.

This marks Hill’s return to Canada since 2023, when she performed at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour. The rest of the North American shows came to a quiet ending after Hill cited vocal issues.

Since then, Hill has performed various pop-up shows, joining son YG Marley at this year’s Coachella, turning it into a Fugees reunion with Wyclef Jean. In July, she performed with Drake during day one of his three-day stint at the U.K. Wireless Music Festival. They debuted a mashup of “Ex Factor” and “Nice For What,” the former of which is sampled on Drake’s 2018 Scorpion track.

These shows will be at more intimate concert hall and theatre venues, including the iconic Massey Hall in Toronto.

Read more here.

Ariana Grande isn’t going to let haters stop her from being her true, authentic self. While speaking to Evan Ross Katz on his Shut Up Evan podcast posted Friday (Oct. 24), the pop star opened up about how much she dislikes the current culture’s aversion to genuine excitement, which often gets written off as “cringe” or “trying too hard.”

“[Earnestness] scares people so much, and I think that’s really sad,” Grande began. “The whole ‘cringe,’ whatever, is just so unfair. Maybe it’s because of, like, PTSD or whatever, but I love so much. I’m so grateful to feel so much.”

“We should be able to be happy and it not be corny or cringe … being passionate about something, loving people,” she continued. “That’s the best. Why do you want me to be sitting here numb? Been there.”

Grande also cited last year’s Wicked press tour — which spawned viral moments such as the “holding space” meme — as a time where hers and costar Cynthia Erivo’s emotional reactions to things were especially mistaken for inauthenticity. “There are so many clips that you would understand if you were there,” she told Katz. “I loved that experience. We had a really beautiful time.”

Speaking of the Wicked press tour, which seemingly lasted for months with countless headline-making interviews, premieres and fan events, Grande said that the promotional cycle for Wicked: For Good has been more low-key for a variety of reasons — the main one being that the R.E.M. Beauty founder is busy filming 2026’s Focker In-Law alongside Skyler Gisondo, Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.

“With this second one, we’ve been filming,” she explained. “I’m wrapping Fockers on Halloween and flying straight into Brazil, we’re starting the [Wicked] press tour three days later. It’s not necessarily a strategy as much as it’s logistically been a little difficult.”

“But there’s also, there’s a little element of we wanted to make it different this time,” she added. “The first time was so special and so unique that we wanted to make it more about the fans this time.”

The main way Grande says she and the rest of the Wicked team are planning on reaching fans this time around is through a concert special premiering in early November on NBC.

The interview comes with just one month left until Wicked: For Good arrives in theaters and ties a bow on the epic Wicked saga that kicked off last year. The first film in the duology broke box office records by becoming the highest grossing adaptation of a Broadway musical, while the soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Elsewhere in the podcast, Grande spoke about getting advice from Madonna and Beyoncé early on in her career, as well as why she thought she’d never release another album after 2020’s Positions.

Watch Grande’s full conversation with Katz above.

Taylor Swift has held onto the top spots on both the U.K.’s Official Albums and Singles Charts for a third consecutive week (Oct. 24).

The Life of a Showgirl retains the No. 1 on the LPs chart, while its lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” extends its reign at the summit of the Singles Chart for a third consecutive week. The latter is Swift’s longest-running No. 1 single since “Anti-Hero” from 2022’s Midnights earned six weeks at No. 1; “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)” (2023) and “Fortnight” (2024) lasted just a single week each.

In its opening week, The Life of a Showgirl smashed numerous records on its way to No. 1 in the U.K. The record had the fastest-selling opening week since 2017 with 423,00 units, trailing only Ed Sheeran’s Divide (672,000). It also became the fastest-selling album on vinyl this century in the U.K., and was named the U.K.’s most-streamed album over the course of seven days in its opening week. She’s also occupied the top spot of the Billboard 200 for the past fortnight.

The Life of a Showgirl  is her 14th U.K. No. 1 album, she also extends her lead with the most No. 1s on the U.K. Albums Charts for an international artist, and now ties for second overall with The Rolling Stones (14). The top spot is also currently a tie between The Beatles and Robbie Williams who both have 15 apiece.

Elsewhere, The Last Dinner Party score the week’s highest new entry with their sophomore album From The Pyre, which Billboard U.K. described as making “good on years of industry hype with a definitive artistic statement.” Their 2024 debut Prelude to Ecstasy peaked at No. 1 upon release.

Olivia Dean’s breakout moment continues as she takes the No. 3 spot on the Official Albums Chart with The Art of Loving, and she lands at No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart with “Man I Need”. Earlier this month, Dean achieved a rare double for a British artist with concurrent No. 1s on the aforementioned charts. 

Despite a divisive response from fans and critics, Tame Impala’s Deadbeat closes the week at No. 4 and gives Kevin Parker his third top five album after Currents (2015) and The Slow Rush (2020) which both peaked at No. 3.

There’s little change on the U.K. Singles Chart as, “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters ends the week at No. 3, RAYE’s “Where Is My Husband!” lifts one place to No. 4 and  Swift’s “Opalite” slips one place to No. 5.

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With the 2025-26 NBA season in full swing and Halloween right around the corner, Nike is entering spooky season with holiday-themed basketball sneakers worth adding to your collection. From “Slim Reaper” KD18’s to a “Candy Corn Queen” A’One shoe, the brands most popular styles are receiving a fun, fright night makeover. Shop our five favorite Halloween-themed Nike basketball sneakers below.

Starting off with the KD18’s, the signature basketball shoe for Kevin Durant, gets a Slim Reaper transformation inspired by the hoopers intimidating and unstoppable offensive presence that “defenders never see it coming,” according to Nike. The silhouette features a glow-in-the-dark outsole and a striking, slender skeleton hand design across the midfoot cage. If you’re looking to put fear in the heart of your opponent, grab of these special-edition KD18’s below for $170.

It’s scary times when you see Ja Morant charing full speed at you on the court. In honor of his ghostly quickness and bone-chilling bounce when attempting one of his viral posterizing dunks, Nike has kitted out the Ja 3 with a “spooky season” colorway. This special Halloween themed design features a zombie-esque aesthetic with a striking green and lemon yellow pairing and an eye-catching vertical red Swoosh logo next to a graffiti-sprayed “A”—and grimy scratch marks as a final touch. Go full zombie mode on the hardwood with the Nike Ja 3 Halloween.

Whether you love or hate candy corn, you can’t deny that this special edition colorway is a sweet treat for Halloween. Dubbed “Candy Corn Queen,” 4x WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe includes a vibrant safety orange and chrome yellow gradient that pops across a midsole resembling candy-like textures. If you have a sweet tooth, these Nike’s will satisfy your craving.

The freaks come out at night, especially with latest Book 1 Halloween colorway. What may look like a sleek and minimal design with the light on, in the dark (or with a UV light) fans will notice creepy crawlers riddled all over the sneaker. There’s also a glow-in-the-dark outsole to add even more spooky elements. Devin Booker’s signature shoe receives a black-rainbow leather upper comes with a printed scorpion pattern hidden in plain sight.

“Haunting Heights” is a fitting name for the 7’5 superstar Victor Wembanyama. The tallest guy on the court is also a guy who can do everything. From dribbling, shooting, to blocking shots and defending, there’s nothing this San Antonio Spur can’t do. Coaches must lie awake at night haunted by trying plan schemes to stop Wemby. His Halloween-themed basketball shoe features a fiery orange tint with flame-motifs throughout.

On Saturday (Oct. 25), ESPN’s College GameDay will take place in Nashville, being held at Vanderbilt University’s FirstBank Stadium for the first time since 2008, and there will be a strong country presence when College GameDay visits Music City.

Country artists Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley are both set to perform at Vanderbilt’s Wyatt Lawn, as College GameDay features a top 15 SEC face-off between the Missouri Tigers and Vanderbilt’s Commodores.

Nashville native and comedian Nate Bargatze will serve as the celebrity guest picker. Bargatze previously appeared on College GameDay in 2023 at the LSU vs. Alabama game, held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

This marks just the latest high-profile appearance from Chesney in Nashville, as the country singer was recently inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame on Oct. 19, alongside fellow 2025 inductees, producer Tony Brown and the late singer-songwriter June Carter Cash. Among those celebrating Chesney that evening were performers Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini and Eric Church. Chesney just announced his new slate of 2026 summer shows at Sphere in Las Vegas, and next month will release the book Heart Life Music.

Earlier this year, Vanderbilt University graduate Bentley released his new album Broken Branches and was out on the road this year headlining his Broken Branches tour, featuring openers Zach Top and The Band Loula. His Broken Branches album featured collaborations with Stephen Wilson Jr. (“Cold Beer Can”) and Miranda Lambert (“Never You”), while the album’s title track was a collaboration with John Anderson and Riley Green.