Britney Spears‘ Instagram account has once again gone dark. Fans looking to get an update on the singer via her @britneyspears Insta page — featuring the screen name XILA MARIA RIVER RED — are not me with a message that reads: “Profile isn’t available. The link may be broken, or the profile my have been removed.”

According to a variety of reports, the Spears Insta account appeared to go dark on Saturday (Nov. 1) or Sunday (Nov. 2), two weeks after the singer’s ex-husband, Kevin Federline, released his tell-all memoir, You Thought You Knew, which features salacious and scandalous stories involving the pop star from their two-plus years of marriage.

At press time Spears had not made any comment about her Instagram retreat, which marked the latest incident of her wiping away her Instagram page. The pop star went away briefly in 2021, then again in 2022 (twice) and has periodically gone dark on her socials over the past few years. The latest retreat comes after Spears repeatedly seemed to lash out over the allegations in Federline’s book in a series of Instagram posts in mid-October in which she wrote, “Its fun to tell stories at this point because this all might sound so silly but with what garbage literally is being said about me I said why not bring SUBSTANCE to the table.” Before that, Spears lashed out in another post at what she deemed “constant gaslighting” from Federline, to whom she was married from 2004-2007.

A few days earlier, she took another shot at people who “profit off my pain,” without naming names, but seemingly alluding to her financial situation with her ex, writing, “no money from Britney for 5 years you trying to get paid that’s what general America is saying weird you both have moved on… your kids are adults it’s a different world now … why is HE SO ANGRY.

According to People, for weeks Britney’s fans have expressed concern about the 43-year-old star’s condition as she’s continued to post her signature dance videos amid cryptic messages about the two sons she shared with Federline, Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden James, 19. In addition, in a video posted on Oct. 7, Spears appeared to have bruises on her arms, bandages on both hands and on her right knee.

“Psss I fell down the stairs at my friend’s house… it was horrible… it snaps out now and then, not sure if it’s broken but for now it’s snapped in !!!,” she wrote in a TikTok post featuring her injuries.

In an Oct. 19 post, Spears also wrote about a four-month rehab stint she spent in 2018 in the midst of her 13-year conservatorship, claiming that, “I do feel like my wings were taken away and brain damage happened to me a long time ago 100 percent… I have of course moved on from that troubling time in my life and I’m blessed to be alive,” without elaborating on the time frame or nature of the reported brain injury.

Federline’s memoir features a variety of shocking claims about Spears, including allegations that she drank wine while she was pregnant with their children and did cocaine while she was breastfeeding. Spears’ team pushed back at the stories from the KFed memoir that leaked before publication, claiming that “once again he [Federline] and others are profiting off her and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin. All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James and their well-being during this sensationalism. She detailed her journey in her memoir.”


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Triple J has unveiled the nominees for the 2025 J Awards, recognizing standout achievements across Australian music and kicking off Ausmusic Month programming throughout November.

Now in its 21st year, the J Awards highlight excellence in recorded music, live performance and video, as well as emerging talent via triple j Unearthed. This year’s nominees span five categories: Australian Album of the Year, Unearthed Artist of the Year, Double J Artist of the Year, Australian Music Video of the Year (presented by rage and triple j), and Australian Live Act of the Year.

The shortlist for Album of the Year includes DJANDJAY by Baker Boy, Deadbeat by Tame Impala, If That Makes Sense by Spacey Jane, Now Would Be A Good Time by Folk Bitch Trio, Look At Me Now by ONEFOUR, and Light hit my face like a straight right by Mallrat, among others. The list reflects a mix of charting acts and breakthrough names across hip-hop, indie rock, electronic and experimental pop.

In the Unearthed Artist of the Year category, Don West, Darcie Haven, Sam Alfred, Folk Bitch Trio, and PLAYLUNCH are all in the running. Meanwhile, punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers lead the Double J Artist of the Year field alongside Paul Kelly, Gordi, Meg Washington, and Emily Wurramara.

On the visual side, five acts are nominated for Music Video of the Year, including Ninajirachi’s “Fuck My Computer,” RONA.’s “Show Me” and Ecca Vandal’s “CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE.”

Triple J also named four nominees for Australian Live Act of the Year: Amyl and the Sniffers, Ball Park Music, Miss Kaninna and hardcore group SPEED.

Winners will be revealed on Wednesday, Nov. 12, starting at 3:30 p.m. AEDT, following deliberation by music and on-air teams across triple j, Unearthed, Double J and rage.

In addition to the awards, triple j’s Ausmusic Month celebrations include the “triple j 50 tour,” which hits Hobart, Newcastle, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Torquay with performances from Ninajirachi, Tkay Maidza, Mallrat and more. Local acts will also take over weekly segments like Like a Version, Live at the Wireless and Friday Mix, culminating with Ausmusic T-Shirt Day on Nov. 27.

2025 J Awards Nominees

triple j Australian Album of the Year

  • Baker Boy – DJANDJAY
  • Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be A Good Time
  • grentperez – Backflips in a Restaurant
  • Mallrat – Light hit my face like a straight right
  • Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer
  • ONEFOUR – Look At Me Now
  • Spacey Jane – If That Makes Sense
  • Tame Impala – Deadbeat
  • The Rions – Everything Every Single Day
  • Thornhill – BODIES

Unearthed Artist of the Year

  • Don West
  • Darcie Haven
  • Sam Alfred
  • Folk Bitch Trio
  • PLAYLUNCH

Double J Australian Artist of the Year

  • Amyl and The Sniffers
  • Emily Wurramara
  • Gordi
  • Meg Washington
  • Paul Kelly

rage and triple j Australian Music Video of the Year

  • Drifting Clouds – “Bawuypawuy” (dir. Matt Sav)
  • Ecca Vandal – “CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE” (dirs. Ecca Vandal and Richie Buxton)
  • Ninajirachi – “Fuck My Computer” (dir. Ball Bass John)
  • PLAYLUNCH – “Keith” (dir. Riley Nimbs)
  • RONA. – “Show Me” (dir. Tyson Perkins)

triple j Australian Live Act of the Year

  • Amyl and The Sniffers
  • Ball Park Music
  • Miss Kaninna
  • SPEED

For more information and full Ausmusic Month programming, visit triple j’s official website.

On Monday (Nov. 3), Billboard announced the launch of Billboard India to serve one of the world’s most rapidly growing music markets and showcase its talent to the world.

In partnership with Other Side Ventures Pvt. Ltd., Billboard India will debut a host of offerings, including Billboard’s iconic charts, lists, music awards, multimedia editorial content, interviews and bios, merchandise and exclusive events, spotlighting the lingual and cultural diversity of India’s increasingly influential music industry for a global audience. Offerings will go live in early 2026.

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Featuring artists and music from across the Indian diaspora, Billboard India will cover the full spectrum of the country’s music ecosystem, including the dominance of film soundtracks, the explosive rise of independent artists, and the country’s global impact on streaming charts and numbers.

“India’s music scene is one of the most dynamic and culturally rich in the world,” said Mike Van, CEO of Billboard. “With the launch of Billboard India, we’re thrilled to recognize the country’s extraordinary diversity of sounds and artists, while connecting India’s thriving music community to our global stage. This expansion marks an exciting new chapter in Billboard’s mission to celebrate musical excellence everywhere it’s found.”

Priyanka Khimani, media advisor and the driving force behind Other Side Ventures, has been instrumental in bringing Billboard to India. “It will be refreshing for India to have one unifying voice to measure and highlight all the incredible growth and success that our music industry is experiencing right now,” Khimani said. “The vision is for Billboard India to be a world-class experience for the consumer, powered by a wealth of data and resources, which identifies and celebrates talent and their achievements, creating a sense of pride, influence and prestige.”

Billboard India will be based in Mumbai. The editorial team will be announced in the coming months.

Follow Billboard India at @BillboardIndia on Instagram for the latest news and updates.

Metallica’s long-awaited M72 World Tour stop in Perth took an unexpected turn over the weekend when two concertgoers were arrested and charged with trespassing after allegedly scaling a central tower inside Optus Stadium during the band’s performance.

According to Western Australia Police, the incident occurred on Saturday (Nov. 1) during Metallica’s first Australian show since 2013. The two men — a 20-year-old from Carey Park and a 23-year-old from Australind — were removed from the venue and will face court for the dangerous stunt.

Police confirmed that a 20-year-old man from Carey Park and a 23-year-old man from Australind were arrested and charged with trespassing after scaling the structure.

“It will be alleged the men climbed up the central tower inside the bowl at the Metallica concert held at Optus Stadium on Saturday,” a WA Police spokesperson said, according to news.com.au.

The concert marked the band’s first return to Australian soil in over a decade. Their last local appearance was headlining the now-defunct Soundwave Festival in 2013, where they shared the bill with blink-182, Linkin Park, Slayer and Paramore.

Support came from Suicidal Tendencies and Evanescence, while fans lined up earlier in the week at a dedicated M72 pop-up shop in Perth, offering exclusive merch, screen-printed posters, vinyl, and tour-themed skateboards.

Metallica has enjoyed remarkable success on the Billboard charts, with their 1991 self-titled album, known as The Black Album, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and becoming one of the longest-charting albums in the chart’s history.

The band’s Australian tour continues with upcoming shows in Adelaide (Nov. 5), Melbourne (Nov. 8), Brisbane and Sydney over the next week. After wrapping their Australia and New Zealand shows, the rockers will continue the tour with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Their current M72 World Tour will wrap in July 2026, following dates in Europe and the U.K.

Full tour details are available on the band’s official website.

Spotify has unveiled its most extensive out-of-home (OOH) and on-platform campaign to date in support of the 2025 ARIA Awards, spotlighting nominated Australian talent across more than 800 high-impact placements around the world — from major Australian cities to international landmarks including Times Square in New York and Leicester Square in London.

The campaign, launched in partnership with the ARIA Awards, aims to engage fans both locally and globally by integrating public voting directly into Spotify’s platform.

Voting-enabled playlists are embedded within the app across four major categories: Best Australian Live Act, Song of the Year, Best Video and Most Popular International Artist. Fans are directed to the ARIA Awards hub via homepage banners, curated nominee spotlights, and QR codes displayed on select billboards.

According to Spotify, more than 250,000 Australians have already cast their votes through the platform, with engagement surpassing the past two years combined. Billboard placements across the U.S., U.K., and other key territories will continue to promote nominees in the lead-up to the ceremony, while winners will be celebrated globally after the ARIA Awards air on Nov. 19.

“The ARIA Awards 2025 campaign is Spotify’s most extensive local on-platform promotion ever — from in-app voting to high-impact OOH celebrations,” said Rosie Rothery, head of marketing at Spotify ANZ. “We’ve flexed the power of our platform and global footprint to put Australian artists and their success stories front and center.”

In addition to digital integrations, Spotify’s campaign includes a social media rollout, an ARIA Awards Spotify Artist Party, and the “Best of the ARIAs” collection — a curated shelf highlighting iconic Australian albums and past winners.

Annabelle Herd, CEO of ARIA, added: “The ARIA Awards 2025 are shaping up to be the biggest global platform to date for the incredible Australian artists making waves in culture around the world. As part of the ARIA Awards’ partnership with Spotify, we are thrilled to bring this year’s nominees to the streets that countless Australians travel day-in, day-out… before lighting up some of the world’s most iconic locations. This is what Aus music looks like on the world’s stage!”

The campaign continues Spotify’s 13-year commitment to promoting local music and complements its broader “Turn Up Aus” initiative focused on uplifting Australian artists.

Sony Music announced Saturday (Nov. 2) that Vanessa Picken is stepping down as chair and CEO of Sony Music Australia and New Zealand, ending a three-year tenure marked by structural modernization, artist-first initiatives and industry-first milestones.

“It has been a privilege to lead such a dedicated and talented company, collaborating with so many inspiring artists and their teams,” Picken said in a statement. “Supporting their growth, creativity, and bold visions has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role. With my term now complete, I feel this is the perfect time to embrace my next opportunity.”

Picken was appointed in June 2022, becoming the first woman to lead the major label’s operations across both countries. She officially began in September 2022, succeeding former CEO Denis Handlin, who exited in 2021 following an external investigation into workplace culture. Her appointment was widely seen as a reset moment for the company.

Over the past three years, Picken spearheaded efforts to modernize the company’s internal operations and improve artist relations. Under her leadership, Sony Music ANZ invested in digital innovation, experiential brand opportunities and new licensing models, while placing increased emphasis on artist well-being and transparency.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the past three years, particularly during this transformative period for our Australia and New Zealand operations,” Picken continued. “We’ve modernized our organizational structure, enhanced our digital and marketing capabilities, and fueled new growth through experiential and licensing ventures. Throughout it all, we’ve placed a renewed focus on artist wellbeing and deepened their connection to the team.”

“As I move on from being the first woman to hold this role, I do so with great excitement for the future,” she added. “I’m confident I won’t be the last, and I hope that in the process, I’ve inspired others to follow their own paths.”

Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group, thanked Picken for her contributions in a statement to Billboard: “We extend our thanks to Vanessa for her time at Sony Music and for her commitment to guiding our artists’ careers and championing local creative talent. We wish her every success in the next chapter of her journey.”

No successor has been named, and Sony Music has not announced who will lead the company in the interim.

Ariana Grande‘s time with the Fockers and Byrnes has come to a close. The singer/actress, who’s slated to appear in the John Hamburg-directed comedy Focker In-Law for Universal, shared a sweet message to her co-stars and photos from the set of the film on Instagram Friday (Oct. 31).

The movie, which will be in theaters on Nov. 25, 2026, is the fourth installment of the Meet the Parents franchise.

“these past few months have been so, so unimaginably special. i love my Fockers, and i love my Byrnes… so, so very much. i will miss this bunch terribly. see you next november!” Grande wrote on Friday.

Snapshots from set include a picture of her hugging actor Ben Stiller, who returns as Greg Focker, and glimpses at a dressing room and chair with her character’s name, Olivia Jones.

Robert De Niro, Owen Wilson, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner and Skyler Gisondo round out the cast.

Though most details remain under wraps, The Hollywood Reporter says that “one plot point centers on the son of Stiller and Polo’s characters, who gets engaged to a ball-busting woman who seems all wrong for him.” Sources told THR that Grande will play the fiancée.

The first three films in the comedy franchise grossed more than $1.13 billion worldwide in total.

With the Focker In-Law release over a year away, Grande’s current focus will be on promoting Wicked: For Good, which arrives in theaters this Nov. 21.

It was just announced that she has joined the cast of the upcoming 13th season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. Also coming up for Grande: voicing a character in Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Cardi B made an appearance at Gillette Stadium on Sunday (Nov. 2), a month-and-a-half after revealing she’s expecting a baby with football player Stefon Diggs, wide receiver for the New England Patriots. The rapper was spotted seated next to Robert Kraft as the Patriots played the Atlanta Falcons in Foxborough, Mass.

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In videos from the NFL game, Cardi’s seen standing at her seat and cheering, with a wide grin on her face — and looking chic in burgundy leather from Bottega.

Cardi and Diggs made their relationship Instagram official in June, and the Am I the Drama? artist announced her pregnancy in September while promoting her new album. The baby on the way is their first together, and joins Cardi’s children Kulture, Blossom and Wave (with her ex, Offset) and Diggs’ daughter Nova.

“I’m excited,” Cardi said on CBS Mornings. “I’m happy. I feel like I’m in a good space. I feel very strong. I feel very powerful that I’m doing all this work. But I’m doing all this work while I’m creating a baby, and me and my man, we’re very supportive of each other.”

On Friday (Oct. 31), she took a moment to address “hate coming from different angles” in her life, including from “partners that I dealt with.” Although she didn’t name Offset in her comment, he appeared to take a dig at Cardi and Diggs on his Haunted by Fame project, which was released on Halloween.

“One thing I notice, I swear to God, and it’s so real … anybody that messes with me while I’m at my most vulnerable — and my most vulnerable is always when I’m pregnant — God always punishes them,” she said Halloween morning. “Two, three years might pass … and God goes and punish them the worst way.”

See clips of Cardi at Sunday’s game shared by the official Patriots and NFL accounts on X below.


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Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl spends its first month atop the Billboard 200 chart, as it racks up its fourth straight week at No. 1 (on the chart dated Nov. 8). It earned 146,000 equivalent album units (down 25%) in the United States in the week ending Oct. 30, according to Luminate.

The Life of a Showgirl is only the second album in 2025 to spend its first month at No. 1, following Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem (which spent its first eight weeks atop the list, of its total 12 at No. 1). Swift’s own The Tortured Poets Department spent its first 12 weeks at No. 1 in 2024, of its total 17 weeks atop the list.

With The Life of a Showgirl spending a fourth week at No. 1, Swift adds her 90th career week at No. 1 on the chart, extending her record among soloists. Elvis Presley has the second-most among soloists, with 67. The total encompasses her 15 No. 1 albums, the most among soloists. Only The Beatles have more weeks at No. 1 (132) and more No. 1 albums (19) among all artists.

Also in the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200, new releases from Daniel Caesar, Brandi Carlile and Demi Lovato all debut.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new, Nov. 8, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Nov. 4. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of The Life of a Showgirl’s 146,000 equivalent album units earned in the latest tracking week, SEA units comprise 121,000 (down 22%, equaling 157.82 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks — it’s No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums for a fourth week), album sales comprise 22,000 (down 41%; it falls 1-3 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 3,000 (up 411%).

The chart-topping KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is a non-mover at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 (84,000 equivalent album units earned, down 12%), while I’m the Problem is also stationary at No. 3 (76,000, down 8%).

Daniel Caesar collects his first top 10 album as Son of Spergy debuts at No. 4 with 43,000 equivalent album units earned — his best week by units ever. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 26,000 (equaling 34.11 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks, marking his best streaming week ever; it debuts at No. 10 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 17,000 (his best sales week ever; it debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

Son of Spergy is Caesar’s fourth charted effort on the Billboard 200 in total, and all of them have reached the top 40. Previously, he charted with Never Enough (No. 14 peak in 2023), Case Study 01 (No. 17 in 2019) and Freudian (No. 25 in 2017).

The new album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across five vinyl variants (including one signed), two CD iterations (one of them signed), alongside a standard digital download album.

Son of Spergy was preceded by three charting entries on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart: “Have a Baby (With Me)” (No. 17 peak in August), “Call On Me” (No. 17 in September) and “Moon” (featuring Bon Iver) (No. 16 in October).

Sabrina Carpenter’s former leader Man’s Best Friend holds at No. 5 on the latest Billboard 200 (42,000 equivalent album units earned, down 3%), while Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving rises 7-6 (39,000 units, up 5%).

Brandi Carlile captures her fifth top 10 album on the Billboard 200 as Returning to Myself debuts at No. 7 with 35,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 32,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 3,000 (equaling 4.31 million on-demand official streams of the album’s tracks) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

In total, Returning to Myself is Carlile’s 10th charted effort on the Billboard 200. Of those, five have reached the top 10: Returning to Myself, Who Believes in Angels? (her collaborative album with Elton John; No. 9 in April); By the Way, I Forgive You (No. 5 in 2018), The Firewatcher’s Daughter (No. 9 in 2015) and Bear Creek (No. 10 in 2012).

The new album was preceded by its first radio-promoted single, its title track, which reached No. 12 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart in October.

Returning to Myself’s first-week sales were bolstered by the set’s availability across five vinyl variants (including one signed edition), two CD iterations (including one signed), a commentary edition of the album at digital retail, and a standard digital download album.

Cardi B’s former No. 1 AM I THE DRAMA? falls 6-8 with 32,000 equivalent album units earned (down 20%).

Demi Lovato scores her 10th top 10 album on the Billboard 200 as It’s Not That Deep debuts at No. 9 with 31,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 24,000 (it debuts at No. 2 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 7,000 (equaling 9.78 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

The album was preceded by two of its tracks that reached Billboard’s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart: “Fast” (No. 8 in August) and “Here All Night” (No. 13 in September).

It’s Not That Deep’s first-week sales were enhanced by its availability across six vinyl variants (including one signed), two CDs (one signed), a cassette, an artist webstore-exclusive download album with three bonus tracks, an iTunes Store-exclusive edition with one bonus track, and a standard digital download album.

Closing out the new top 10 on the latest Billboard 200 is SZA’s former No. 1 SOS, which falls 8-10 with nearly 31,000 equivalent album units earned (down 2%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.


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Everybody Scream, the new album from Florence + The Machine, tops this week’s fan-voted music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 31) on Billboard, choosing Florence Welch’s latest work as their favorite new release.

Everybody Scream was let loose on Halloween, in a week that also saw new releases from Tyler, The Creator, Reneé Rapp, Brent Faiyaz and more. Florence + The Machine’s sixth full-length studio album brought in 53% of the vote.

The timing of the set’s release is fitting: “For this album, I didn’t realize how close death was,” Welch recently said in a cover-story interview with L’Officiel. “It was sort of like, Oh, death is just a doorway. Also, if the last album [Dance Fever] was a fairy tale, this one is a horror film, so it all made sense.”

The frontwoman was referring to her experience suffering an ectopic pregnancy onstage — which caused her fallopian tube to rupture and required emergency surgery — in 2023. “As you can see, I have this well of grief that I’m trying to find ways to navigate,” she said. “I was in this fog, and I had to find meaning and my own belief system.”

“This is the most personal album I’ve ever made, but it’s also my most mythological in a sense. I wanted to create my own folk horror songs within it,” she explained in the interview.

The 12-song tracklist of Everybody Scream is led by its title track followed by “One of the Greats,” both of which were previewed ahead of the full collection’s release.

Looking ahead to performing the music from Everybody Scream live on tour, Welch told NPR that the stage is her place “to let how big the feelings are out, you know? Like, if I feel deranged, which sometimes I often do, and if I feel like I want to scream but I can’t, or I want to weep but I can’t, or just to move my body, like, violently almost, to get something out of me. That is my favorite thing about songs is they hold so many different things at once, and that’s my favorite thing about performance. You know, it is endless.”

Among the new releases trailing behind Everybody Scream are Tyler, The Creator’s “Mother,” with 15% of the vote; Reneé Rapp’s “Lucky,” with 6% of the vote, and Brent Faiyaz’s “Have To,” with 2% of the vote. Twenty percent of voters chose “other,” meaning their personal pick was not on the list.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.


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