Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. 

This week: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift.

‘Showgirl’ Streams: Taylor Swift’s Latest Racks Up 384 Million Plays in First Three Days

The numbers just keep getting more absurd as they come in for Taylor Swift‘s 12th album The Life of a Showgirl, released last Friday (Oct. 3). The 2.7 million in sales that Showgirl posted in its first day of release deservedly generated most of the headlines, but the album’s streaming performance proved nearly as historic, with lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” racking up the most single-day streams of any song in Spotify history, while the full Showgirl set the single-day mark for any album in 2025.

Across the first three days of the album’s release (Oct. 3-5), The Life of a Showgirl racked up 384 million official on-demand U.S. streams — an average of 32 million streams per song. For reference, the most-streamed song in the country last week was HUNTR/X’s Hot 100-topping “Golden,” and that song pulled in 32.3 million streams across the full tracking week. So for her 12-track album, Swift averaged about as many streams per song as the best-streaming song in the country did last week, in less than half of a full tracking week.

Can The Life of a Showgirl challenge the all-time record for single-week streams across one album? It might be tough, given that she’s competing with herself, and the fight is somewhat lopsided: Swift previously set the record with 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, which amassed 891.37 million streams in its debut week — a number Showgirl will likely fall short of if its streams continue to naturally recede throughout the week, as usually happens with new releases. That album had 31 tracks to work with (15 of which were released as part of its Anthology Edition reissue), however, rather than just the 12 of Showgirl — which means that on average (28.8 million), Showgirl‘s tracks were already outperforming those of Poets by the end of the weekend with their mean of 32 million, with more than half of the week still to account for.

And “The Fate of Ophelia” will certainly end up among the most-streamed tracks in a single week, having already totaled 47.7 million official on-demand streams in its first three days of release. That puts it over half the way towards catching the current leader for the 2020s, Cardi B’s Megan Thee Stallion-featuring “WAP,” which garnered 93 million streams in its debut frame — though as the song inevitably loses steam as the week goes on, it may need an extra boost or two to really threaten that superstar teamup. (Something tells us Team Taylor’s got other Billboard records on her mind at the moment anyway.) – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ Booms Following Taylor Swift’s ‘Romantic’ Diss & ‘Wuthering Heights’ Trailer

Charli XCX may be focused on her acting career right now, but Brat is forever. Thanks to a new trailer for Emerald Fennell’s forthcoming Wuthering Heights big-screen adaptation, as well as a diss on Taylor Swift’s new Life of a Showgirl album believed by fans to be directed towards Charli, tracks from the British pop star’s Grammy-winning opus have seen renewed traction on streaming. 

“Everything Is Romantic,” which may have inspired the title of Swift’s diss (“Actually Romantic”) and plays in the Wuthering Heights trailer, has jumped a whopping 622% in streaming activity over the past four weeks, according to Luminate. The week prior to the trailer’s unveiling (Aug. 29-Sept. 4), “Everything” earned over 305,000 official on-demand streams, leaping 108% to over 635,000 official streams the following week (Sept. 5-11). “Everything” grew at least 50% over the streams for the next three weeks, reaching a whopping 2.2 million official streams the week before Swift dropped Showgirl (Sept. 26-Oct. 2). 

Swift opens “Actually Romantic” with the line, “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave,” which many perceived to be a response to Charli’s lyrical references to Swift and Matty Healy’s short-lived romance on Brat’s “Sympathy Is a Knife.” In the weekend preceding Showgirl’s release (Sept. 26-28), “Everything Is Romantic” pulled 787,000 official streams, leaping 54% to 1.2 million official streams during Showgirl release weekend (Oct. 3-5). As for “Sympathy,” that track earned 207,000 official streams the weekend before Showgirl (Sept. 26-28), jumping a whopping 480% to 1.2 million official streams during Showgirl release weekend (Oct. 3-5). 

“Actually Romantic” also inspired many listeners to review “Girl, so confusing,” a Brat track on which Charli ironed out her friction with fellow pop star Lorde, eventually inviting her on the song’s headline-grabbing remix to address their issues in a more mutually sympathetic way. In the weekend preceding Showgirl’s release (Sept. 26-28), “Girl, So Confusing” collected 519,000 official streams, rising 31% to 681,000 official streams during Showgirl release weekend (Oct. 3-5). 

Finally, the entirety of Brat leapt 60% in total streams following Showgirl’s release. In the weeknd prior to Swift’s drop, Charli’s album earned 5.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams, and that number rose to 8.4 million official streams the following weekend (Oct. 3-5). – KYLE DENIS

‘Showgirl’-Sounding Songs Surge on Streaming: JoBros, Luis Miguel & More 

As Taylor Swift’s latest album dominates the cultural conversation, so have comparisons of certain Showgirl tracks to older pop songs, leading to streaming gains for those tracks. 

Some listeners have likened the album’s title track, which features Sabrina Carpenter, to Jonas Brothers’ “Cool,” resulting in a 223% jump in streaming activity for the band’s 2019 track. In the weekend prior to Showgirl’s arrival (Sept. 26-28), “Cool” earned 78,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, and that number rose to 254,000 official streams the following weekend (Oct. 3-5). Similarly, some listeners have likened Swift’s “Opalite” melody to that of Luis Miguel’s “1+1 = Enamorados,” giving way to a 224% boost in streams for the Mexican singer’s childhood hit. In the weeknd preceding Swift’s new LP, “1+1” collected just 7,800 official on-demand U.S. streams; that figure more than tripled to 25,500 official streams the next weekend (Oct. 3-5). 

Of course, Showgirl also boats “Father Figure,” which properly credits George Michael for referencing his 1987 hit of the same name. Michael’s track, which enjoyed a quasi-resurgence in 2024 thanks to its use in the acclaimed film Babygirl, earned 286,000 official streams the weekend before Showgirl’s release (Sept. 26-28). The following weekend (Oct. 3-5), Michael’s “Father Figure” leapt 83% to 523,000 official streams. – KD

Live Nation plans to offer $1.3 billion of convertible senior notes with 2031 due dates that will repay existing debt and possibly fund concert venues, the company announced Wednesday (Oct. 8).

The offering’s proceeds, along with borrowings under a new credit facility, will be used to redeem all of the $300 million of 5.625% notes due in 2026. The notes will also pay the full amounts outstanding in a term B loan facility and the revolving credit facility, which amounted to $823.8 million as of June 30. The company also intends to use some of the proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include funding concert venues or repaying or purchasing some of its outstanding debt.

Initial buyers will have the right to purchase up to an additional $100 million of convertible notes. The net proceeds from these additional notes are expected to be used for general corporate purposes. 

As of June 30, Live Nation had total debt of $6.48 billion on its balance sheet, with $4.99 billion being long-term and $1.49 billion classified as current (including $1.1 billion of senior convertible notes due 2029 that holders could have exchanged in the third quarter). Live Nation also has a $135 million euro-denominated note due this year and $275 million of debt due in 2026 related to the acquisition of a U.S. venue. After next year’s maturities, the company will have $1.2 billion of 6.5% senior secured notes and $950 million of 4.75% senior notes, both due in 2027, and $500 million of 3.75% senior secured notes due 2028.

In most cases, The Dude abides — but the recent actions of ICE are definitely an exception. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday (Oct. 7), Jeff Bridges snapped back into his iconic Big Lebowski character to condemn the “aggression” he says is happening in immigrant communities across the United States.

The idea to briefly reprise The Dude was Kimmel’s, with the late-night host pulling out a patterned cardigan and White Russian — the character’s signature cocktail — for Bridges. The Oscar winner didn’t need much to get back into The Dude’s headspace, though, immediately launching into a drawling address to the world at Kimmel’s request.

“Hey, world! The Dude here,” Bridges began. “Can we just all calm the f–k down? I mean, come on. I’m talking about all the wars, the fighting, the cancelling. I mean, let’s just chill out man, come on.”

Noting that he thinks everyone is operating at a “9” when they should be at a “Zero and a half” at most, the actor went on to call out ICE specifically. “ICE! Let’s get ICE off our streets and into our beverages,” he said, earning applause. “This aggression will not stand, right?”

Bridges added, “So let’s just abide together. We can do this.”

The Hollywood icon’s remarks come as the Donald Trump administration is continuing to crack down on immigration by way of ICE raids targeting vulnerable communities. The raids have especially affected the Los Angeles area, where Jimmy Kimmel Live! tapes.

Bridges also isn’t the only big star who’s spoken up about ICE recently. Zach Bryan joined numerous other musicians in calling out the agency by posting the unreleased song lyrics, “I heard the cops came/ Cocky motherf–kers, ain’t they? … And ICE is gonna come bust down your door,” on Instagram.

After getting backlash from the White House and DHS, however, the country singer walked back somewhat on his remarks. “This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything,” he wrote in a statement. “When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle … Left wing or right wing, we’re all one bird and American.”

Watch Jeff Bridges bring back The Dude to condemn ICE below.

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Dyson is taking another shot at headphones, and they just might rival that of Apple, Bose and Sony. Dyson OnTrac headphones feature up to 55-hours of battery power, high-fidelity sound and customizable ear cushions and ear outer caps. The wireless headphones are officially available on Amazon and on sale for half off for Prime Day.

The latest edition to Dyson’s growing lineup of luxury headphones are equipped with two, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries centered in the headband to even the distribution of weight. The battery takes up to three hours to fully charge and lasts up to two weeks, even with ANC (active noise cancelation) enabled. You can switch the ANC setting on and off by tapping on either ear cap, or on the top of the headband.

For Prime Day, the Dyson OnTrac headphones are on sale for $249.99 (reg. $499) on Amazon, while they’re cheaper than the Dyson Zone headphones. No air filter needed this time around, OnTrac offers a more traditional design with a custom ANC algorithm that utilizes eight microphones and cancels up to 40dB of unwanted noise along with 40mm drivers with “advanced audio signal processing,” and a speaker tilted at 13-degrees to “ensure that every note or word is delivered with precision,” according to Dyson.

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The Dyson OnTrac wireless headphones come in a few colorways, such as CNC Aluminum, while the headphones’ removable ear cushions and ear caps retail for $49.99 per pair. They come in several colors, including dark iron, ceramic blue and others.

“Dyson’s audio engineering mission is to preserve the integrity of the artist’s sound wave, free from interference,” Jake Dyson, the brand’s chief engineer, said in a statement. “We also wanted to create a set of headphones that people would cherish, be excited by, and be proud of. With over 30 years of experience in aeroacoustics, we’ve mastered sound physics. By reducing noise through in-house anechoic chambers and expert engineers, we’ve applied and further expanded our audio knowledge to develop the Dyson OnTrac headphones. Our first over-ear audio only headphones deliver best-in-class ANC, exceptional sound quality, and all-day comfort through unique materials, design and customization.”

ShopBillboard had the chance to test the Dyson OnTrac wireless headphones during a press preview in London and one of the most appealing features are the customizable ear cuffs, and the one-touch ANC feature. The headphones are incredibly comfortable — the cuffs are made from “ultra-soft microfiber and high-grade foam” per Dyson — and easy to use, but they can get sweaty when it’s hot, so I would recommend getting darker color ear cushions, if you’re going to be wearing them in the heat or during a workout.

With more than 2,000 customizable color combinations, you can mix and match the OnTrac design to your liking. The outer caps and ear cushions are made from “ultra-soft microfiber” with “high-grade foam for superior comfort and acoustic seal,” per Dyson. Another feature that caught our interest was the multi- pivot gimbal arm design. We also like the idea of the battery being in the headband, which ensures balanced weight distribution.

The wireless headphones delivers from a sound perspective and comfort level, and even though we haven’t had a chance to test out the 55 hour battery (yet), but we have gone more than a week without wearing them and the battery is still charged, plus it’s easily one of the headphone’s most appealing features. For comparison, the battery on Apple’s AirPods Max lasts up to 20 hours, Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones offer up to 24 hours of battery life and Sony’s WH-100XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones lasts up to 30 hours.

On sale for $249.99 (reg. $499), the Dyson.com OnTrac wireless headphones are available on Amazon and Dyson — a 50% saving.

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.

One of the co-founders of Maverick City Music is vehemently denying the claims in former member Chandler Moore’s explosive new lawsuit, saying Moore is just trying to “strong-arm” his way out of legitimate contracts with the Grammy-winning worship collective.

A lengthy Instagram statement shared Wednesday (Oct. 8) by Maverick City’s Jonathan Jay is the group’s first public statement since Moore announced his abrupt exit and filed a lawsuit alleging millions of dollars’ worth of royalties had been stolen from him.

The primary target of Moore’s lawsuit is Maverick City executive Norman Gyamfi, though he also names the collective and its label, TRIBL Records, as defendants. Moore claims Gyamfi, who was his manager before joining Maverick City as a part owner, orchestrated secret deals and forged his signature on contracts to siphon off the singer-songwriter’s publishing royalties.

Jay is now defending Gyamfi and Maverick City overall, writing on Instagram that he cannot “let a series of lies go unchecked.” Jay said the lawsuit’s false allegations are “calculated attempts to strong-arm a way out of agreements Chandler made freely and later breached.”

“To be clear: the claims being made against me, against Norman and against our companies are categorically false,” wrote Jay. “Our business dealings with Chandler were forthright, generous and above reproach. We acted in good faith, gave more than what was required and consistently extended grace. Any allegations of misdeeds are simply not true, and we welcome a full and honest examination, because the truth will speak for itself.”

“It saddens me deeply to see Chandler publicly allege something so wildly untrue,” Jay added. “There’s a pattern of avoided accountability, unresolved conflicts passed off to others, and a history of others being forced to carry the weight of consequences never owned. That pattern ends here.”

Jay ended the Instagram statement by affirming that Maverick City will continue making music while the legal dispute plays out: “I refuse to let a false narrative undo what so many people have labored, sacrifice and prayed for over the years.”

“The mission of Maverick City is bigger than any one person,” wrote Jay. “We will keep building. We will keep creating. We will keep lifting the name of Jesus in every room He opens until the Lord Himself says our time is up. We stand on truth. We stand on integrity. And we will not be moved.”

Moore’s legal team did not immediately return a request for comment regarding the Instagram post on Wednesday (Oct. 8). In a previous statement, Moore’s attorney Sam Lipshie said, “We are fully committed to helping Chandler recover what is rightfully his, resolve outstanding legal matters and assist him in moving forward freely to continue building the even-brighter impactful career that lies ahead for him.”