Lana Del Rey fans have received a fresh taste of her new era, with “Bluebird” arriving as the latest preview of her forthcoming record.

Dropping just a week after “Henry, Come On” gave fans their first insight of what to expect from Del Rey’s self-described “country” record, “Bluebird” has ostensibly further confirmed that her sonic shift won’t be one steeped in the standard trappings of a country record.

Much like its predecessor, “Bluebird” is another soaring piece of emotional introspection from Del Rey, as she pairs softly-plucked acoustic guitars with stirring strings and her trademark reverb-laden vocals. Written alongside Luke Laird, and featuring production from Drew Erickson, it’s a dream team of country and folk at play, and provides further indication that Del Rey’s upcoming record is set to be another high point of her career.

Currently, however, it’s unclear just when that new record will arrive – or what fans will be specifically asking for at record stores. Initially teased under the name Lasso in early 2024 and given a September release date, the 13-track record was later given a fresh moniker by way of The Right Person Will Stay and an updated release date of May 10.

Following the release of “Henry, Come On,” Del Rey has since told fans her forthcoming 10th album is once again subject to a sense of mystery. “You know it’s not going to come on time, right?” she explained on April 11. “Should I even tell you that the name changed again? Should I tell you that now, while you’re so happy that you even have a song? Yeah, maybe I’ll wait.”

A late album is nothing new for the beloved singer, as her three most recent projects — Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Chemtrails Over the Country Club and Blue Banisters — were all delayed for various reasons.

Del Rey is currently scheduled to perform at Stagecoach on April 25, with a series of dates slated to follow across the U.K. throughout June and July. She’ll return to the U.S. in the summer for a performance at Iowa’s Hinterland Music Festival on Aug. 3.

Listen to “Bluebird” below:

Morgan Wallen and Post Malone are teaming up again, with their just-released second collaboration, “I Ain’t Comin’ Back.”

The two artists previously earned a towering hit last year with “I Had Some Help,” which topped charts in both pop and country formats, spending six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and four weeks atop Country Airplay. The song, which was featured on Post Malone’s country album F-1 Trillion, was also No. 1 on Billboard‘s 2024 Songs of the Summer chart.

Now, they are looking at potentially dominating the charts again with their new collab. They co-wrote the song with Louis Bell, HARDY, ERNEST and Ryan Vojtesak.

“I Ain’t Comin’ Back” will be included on Wallen’s upcoming album I’m the Problem, out May 16 via Big Loud/Mercury. Earlier this week, Wallen confirmed several collaborators on the album. In addition to the new song with Post Malone, the 37-track project will feature Tate McRae (on”What I Want”), Eric Church (“Number 3 and Number 7”), HARDY (“Come Back as a Redneck”) and ERNEST (“The Dealer”).

Wallen is a co-writer on 22 of the songs on the new album, and fans have already gotten an early glimpse into the project through the handful of songs that have been released, including “Love Somebody” and “Lies Lies Lies.”

Meanwhile, Post Malone recently played a headlining set at Coachella and told Billboard he’s working on a new project in Nashville, noting that he’s “made probably 35 songs; it’s just a matter of which ones rock and which ones sock.” He’s also gearing up to head out on the Big Ass Stadium Tour alongside Jelly Roll.

Hear “I Ain’t Comin’ Back” below:

Close to two decades on from his exit from New Order, bassist Peter Hook hasn’t wavered in his animosity toward his former bandmates, labeling the group a “bad cover version” of themselves.

Hook was one of the founding members of New Order, who formed in 1980 following the death of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. Hook, along with Joy Division bandmates Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris, completed their initial lineup with the addition of keyboardist Gillian Gilbert. New Order would go on to receive widespread acclaim in the ensuing decades, with their biggest success in the U.S. arriving by way of 1993’s Republic, which hit No. 11 on the Billboard 200.

In 2007, New Order would split, though Hook would not return for their 2011 reformation, instead choosing to continue with his new band Peter Hook & The Light. A long-running legal battle related to the reunion would eventually be settled in 2017.

However, in a new interview with British publication The i Paper, Hook says he retains a sense of animosity towards his former band, noting he hasn’t spoken to vocalist and guitarist Sumner in 17 years. “As most reconciliations do, once you get over the euphoric honeymoon, you soon realise why you couldn’t f–king stick them – and they, you,” he explains. “I’m not saying I’m Mr. Perfect.” 

“I don’t think they’re New Order. They don’t sound like anything like them,” he continued. “I’ve watched them play songs [online] recently, and they’ve dropped the basslines and play it like some weird, bad cover version of a New Order track. So the animosity is obviously still there now.” 

Hook also claimed that his thoughts are shared by audience members of contemporary New Order shows, with fans reportedly contacting him to complain about current gigs. “They’re like, ‘You can’t hear the bass!’” he noted. “Obviously, there is a certain smugness one could adopt. But I’m, obviously, way above all that.”

Hook’s comments come as he launches a series of shows with The Light in which they perform New Order’s 2001 album Get Ready in full alongside a selection of hits from both Joy Division and New Order. Launched in the U.K. this week, Hook will bring his tour to North America in May.

Akon is the latest hip-hop artist to venture into the world of country.

TMZ caught up with Akon as he was signing autographs in New York City and asked his thoughts about artists like Snoop and BigXthaPlug collaborating with country artists. That’s when he revealed that he’s been working on remixing songs from his catalog into country songs featuring country artists.

“I’m actually redoing my whole catalog in country,” Akon said. “I’m not even joking… This has been an idea for years like forever. The project has been in motion for the last five years. But starting next month, y’all gonna start seeing all the releases.”

He also added that records like his hit song “Locked Up” will be included and that the tracks will be performed by the country artists while he plays more of a guest role. “They’re country artists featuring me. They’re the ones performing them.”

This country and hip-hop link-up era that we’re seeing now isn’t anything new. Nelly and Tim McGraw most notably collaborated on the smash “Over and Over” in 2004, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent six months on the chart. BigXthaPlug recently did a song called “All the Way” with country singer Bailey Zimmerman, scoring the Texas rapper’s highest-charting song to date as it currently sits at No. 4 on the Hot 100. Snoop also just dropped “Gettin’ Gone” with Nashville star ERNEST.

The world may need a country version of “Smack That.”

Dominic “Mick” Mazzone OAM, a revered Australian music industry veteran, has passed away, his family has confirmed.

“The family of Mick Mazzone would like to announce the sudden and sad passing of our beloved dad, brother and uncle,” a statement issued on the afternoon of Thursday, April 17 read. “A stalwart of his family, he was surrounded by his loved ones in his last days.

“He will be remembered by many in the Australian music industry, which he worked in and loved for over four decades and deeply missed by his countless friends,” it continued. “We appreciate all the love and support shown to us. His legacy will live on.”

Mazzone grew up in Torrensville, a suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide, where he learnt to play the guitar as a young teenager. Performing in a number of local bands, he relocated to Sydney to embark on a career in the music business. Initially working with the Brenton Roberts Band (who were under the managerial guidance of veteran promoter Michael Chugg), Mazzone soon became regarded as an “industry all-rounder” for his versatility in the fields of sound engineering, production, and tour management.

Mighty Management was established by Mazzone where he oversaw names such as Cold Chisel guitarist Ian Moss and Sydney rockers The Radiators. Mazzone also extended his focus into the world of labels, with M Records featuring The Radiators alongside hard rock outfit De Mont, who were also part of the Mighty roster.

Working on tours for the likes of Madonna, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, and R.E.M during their time in Australia, Mazzone later served as founding member of the Music Managers Forum, and would become a founder and trustee of the industry charity the Golden Stave Foundation. In 2018, Mazzone received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his contributions to the industry and his charitable endeavors.

In February 2024, Mazzone adopted the role of manager for ARIA Hall of Famers the Hoodoo Gurus, who topped the Alternative Airplay chart in 1989 with “Come Anytime,” and hit No. 3 in 1991 with “Miss Freelove ’69.” Mazzone’s promotion to the top job came after longtime manager Michael McMartin stepped down from the role, ultimately passing the following month.

In the wake of his passing, the Hoodoo Gurus shared a statement remembering Mazzone, noting they were “utterly devastated at the sudden loss of our dear friend.”

“It is impossible to convey the shock and grief we are feeling right now,” they wrote. “We have already shed many tears, and there will be many more to come, but our loss is nothing compared to the one that has been dealt to Mick’s close family and friends and, in particular, to his beloved kids, Frank, Antonia and Alex. Our hearts go out to them at this dreadful time.”

The Radiators also offered their condolences to Mazzone and his family, naming him one of their “great friends” and noting his “fantastic ear” and sharp managerial mindset.

“Mick holds a special place in our hearts, and we will forever be grateful for his time spent guiding and mentoring the Rads when we were at a low point in our career,” the band wrote. “His management helped lift us up, and without his strong, sure and steady hand, we as a band may not have been able to navigate the ‘90s.

“He will be sadly missed by so many people in the industry,” they concluded. “He was an incredible human. A quiet genius. Gone way way too soon. The world is a poorer place today, for the loss of one Mick Mazzone.”

For the past 25 years, Mazzone also served as the Technical Director and Production Manager for the annual APRA, Art and Screen Music Awards, held by copyright management organizations APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society).

“Mick’s warmth and sense of humour were legendary among those who had the pleasure of knowing him, like we did,” said APRA Chair Jenny Morris in a statement. “His genuine kindness made everyone feel welcome and valued, creating lasting memories for all who crossed his path. His contributions to the music industry and community will be deeply missed.”