One of the most memorable and impactful moments from the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday (Feb. 8) was toward the end when Bad Bunny took a moment to shout out every country from the Americas, one by one, as the countries’ respective flags dashed through the field.

Immediately after, he held up a football emblazoned with the words “Together We Are America,” reinforcing his message of unity and empowerment, before closing his 13-minute performance with an acoustic version of “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” powered by Los Pleneros de la Cresta. 

During the grand finale, Bad Bunny was surrounded by an ecstatic group of people that included his loved ones, but also all the dancers, musicians and extras that formed part of the halftime show—among them, William Rene Surian Ortiz, 27, who passionately waved the Nicaraguan flag next to the Puerto Rican headliner.

“I know my people had to be somewhere in that crowd,” he tells Billboard. “Our directions were to stay in a line, and I was like, ‘I want to go to the front’ y me fui! (and I fled!). I was at the very end, there were literally two flags behind me. At a global level, it’s always every other country being talked about but ours [Nicaragua]. That’s when I thought, this was my time. When I carried that flag, I felt my country, all the people I’ve lost.” 

Surian, who’s half Guatemalan and half Nicaraguan, had two roles during the historic halftime show: mingling in the coconut stands during “Tití Me Preguntó” and waving a flag at the end. 

“I saw him raise his hand from afar and immediately rushed to the front,” he recalls. “At the end, Bad Bunny turned around and told everyone to follow him inside. When we went through the tunnel, I gave him a handshake and told him ‘thank you for having us on TV.’”

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Surian, who works four jobs as a billboard installer, retail store stocker, a model and a stylist, got this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thanks to talent agencies Kids of Immigrants and Esprit Casting, who reached out to him on social media. 

He says the process was top secret and it took two months from the casting to signing a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) to the beginning of rehearsals in January. He did not know what he was forming part of until one week before the three-weeks-long rehearsals kicked off.

“What I learned from him is that he tells his story with subliminal messages,” Surian says of the “Baile Inolvidable” singer, adding that the artist was present at every rehearsal. “I listen to Bad Bunny, but I don’t listen to him enough, and being face to face with him, he doesn’t say much but you learn from every move he makes. They had us in mics for three weeks straight, and you hear one voice, and it’ll switch to his voice: it felt like we were all one. We didn’t speak to him, but he spoke to us in the in-ear monitors.”

Before Feb. 8, Surian had 1,500 followers on social media, but after loudly and proudly waving the Nicaraguan flag and rushing front-and-center for those 15 seconds of fame, he became a viral sensation overnight, currently boasting more than 50K followers. He’s also the talk of the town in the Central American country with local news outlets and even Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios, celebrating the heartwarming moment.

“It was not a show, it was a protest,” he admits. “You can take away my family members, but you can’t take away that hope, that fire. I’m representing everyone—not just Nicaraguans—that feel that they are not heard. This is for all the kids with dreams. It was for everyone around the world to realize that it’s about the human race uniting. It’s about peace.”

J. Cole has filed his first response to Cam’ron’s lawsuit over the duo’s “Ready ’24” collab, denying that he ever promised to appear on the rapper’s podcast — and blasting Cam for going to court to “publicly disparage” him.

Cam’ron (Cameron Giles) sued Cole (Jermaine Cole) last fall, claiming he’d been denied full credit and compensation for the song, on which he contributed a featured verse. He says Cole also reneged on a promise to appear on one of Cam’ron’s singles or his podcast.

But in his first legal answer to the lawsuit, Cole’s lawyers say no such promise was ever made — and that Cam’ron had, in fact, been happy to be featured in the song.

“Plaintiff encouraged and blessed defendants’ use of his performance, as it was to his career benefit,” Cole’s attorney, Christine Lepera, wrote in a court filing obtained and first reported by Billboard.

“It was only after the release of ‘Ready ‘24’ that he began to demand unreasonable conditions never agreed to by Cole, or an excessive fee inconsistent with industry standards for a featured performance,” Lepera writes, “followed by the filing of this lawsuit without notice to publicly disparage Cole as leverage.”

Attorneys for Cam’ron did not immediately return a request for comment.

“Ready ’24,” recorded in 2022 and appearing on Cole’s 2024 mixtape Might Delete Later, featured a verse written and performed by Cam’ron. The mixtape debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and ultimately spent eight weeks on the chart.

In his October lawsuit, Cam’ron claimed he only agreed to appear on the song based on specific terms, including final approval of the song before release; credit as both a co-writer and a performer; and Cole either contributing a verse on a future song or appearing on Cam’ron’s It Is What It Is podcast.

“Two years later, with Cole having refused to honor his agreement to collaborate with plaintiff on either a single or on the podcast, defendants nevertheless released the sound recording,” his lawyers wrote at the time.

But in his response on Tuesday (Feb. 10), Cole’s attorneys say flatly that no such promise was ever made, either about a single or a podcast: “Plaintiff asked Cole to appear on his podcast, and he and Cole discussed the possibility of Cole appearing on Plaintiff’s podcast, but no commitment was ever made by Cole to do so nor was there any agreement or condition related to ‘Ready ‘24’ to do so.”

Cloe’s attorneys add that Cam’ron appeared on the song “voluntarily and without condition” and that he never raised any objections “prior to its commercial release.” And they say he “is not, and never was, a joint author or co-owner of the sound recording.”

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: Beyond Bad Bunny Super Bowl LX leads to big gains in streaming and sales for a number of its halftime and pregame performers, and fans pay tribute to one of the great rock hitmakers of the early ’00s upon his premature passing.

‘Benito Bowl’ Lifts Lady Gaga’s ‘Die With a Smile’ & Ricky Martin’s Entire Catalog 

Benito Bowl continues to deliver eye-popping numbers — and not just for its historic headliner. On Wednesday, Billboard reported that Bad Bunny’s catalog earned a whopping 98 million official on-demand U.S. streams the day after the Super Bowl (Feb. 9), narrowly missing the crown for his single biggest streaming day of all time. 

The Puerto Rican superstar, who won album of the year at the Grammys earlier this month, leaned heavily on his Billboard 200-topping Debí Tirar Más Fotos LP throughout his set, also incorporating earlier hits like “Monaco” and “Tití Me Preguntó.” Apple released his entire performance as a 13-minute track, which was included on an EP that also featured live recordings of pre-game performances from Coco Jones, Charlie Puth and Brandi Carlile. The audio of Bad Bunny’s halftime pulled in 285,000 official on-demand U.S. streams and sold 858 U.S. digital downloads the day after the Super Bowl (Feb. 9). 

Benito also featured two special guests during his halftime takeover, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, both of whom earned notable streaming gains. 

Mother Monster blessed one of her biggest fans with a salsa rendition of “Die with a Smile,” which earned 2.46 million official on-demand U.S. streams across Feb. 8-9, according to Luminate. That marks a 17% increase from the 2.1 million it pulled a week prior (Feb. 1-2). The song, originally a Billboard Hot 100-topping Bruno Mars duet, also jumped 165% in U.S. digital downloads, selling 1,240 copies during Feb. 8-9. 

Ricky Martin, who dominated the ‘90s as a Latin crossover sensation, appeared for an impassioned rendition of “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii.” His appearance certainly delighted Gen Xers and Millennials, but it also proved a full-circle moment considering the pressure he faced earlier in his career to sing in English. Martin’s catalog earned 1.2 million official on-demand U.S. streams after the Super Bowl (Feb. 8-9), leaping 58% from the 790,000 official streams it collected the week prior (Feb. 1-2). His discography also sold 429 U.S. digital downloads, up 487%. 

If it wasn’t already clear, this is Bad Bunny’s world, and we’re all just dancing in it. — KYLE DENIS 

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Green Day and Other Pre-Game Performers Get Super Bowl Catalog Bumps

The appearance of Bay Area local heroes at Green Day as the pre-game performers at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif. garnered much advance speculation about whether the punk trio would make any particular statement, given the current political climate. But the band let its songs do the talking on Sunday, playing a trio of anthems from its blockbuster 2004 rock opera American Idiot, and expecting the 70,000 in attendance and hundreds of millions watching worldwide to get the message from their lyrics about the “redneck agenda” and “the ones who died without a name.”

All three of those songs were way up in sales and streams the day of and day after the Super Bowl. The album’s explosive title track was the biggest gainer, rising to nearly 1.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams over that two-day period (Feb. 8-9) from the equivalent period the week before — a gain of 78%, according to Luminate. Meanwhile, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” was up 46% to 623,000 streams over that same period, while “Holiday” was up 53% to 556,000. (The three songs also combined for over 3,000 digital song sales over that two-day period, up 924% from the day before.) All in all, Green Day’s total catalog was up 42% in streams to over 9.3 million, and up 561% to nearly 6,100 song sales.

Beyond Green Day, the other two pre-game performers also saw catalog gains following their appearances. “God Bless America” performer Brandi Carlile saw her catalog rise 23% in streams to 1.1 million and 274% in song sales to just over 500, while Charlie Puth’s discography was up 25% in streams to over 2.9 million and 529% in song sales to over 1,000. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

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Here Without You: Fans Mourn Brad Arnold by Returning to 3 Doors Down Catalog

Brad Arnold’s voice was one of the most unavoidable sounds on both rock and pop radio in the early 2000s. His band 3 Doors Down scored five No. 1 hits on Mainstream Rock airplay that decade, while also notching five top 20 hits on the Hot 100, three of which made it all the way to the top five. Arnold was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2025, before the band was scheduled to set out on a summer tour. He died on Saturday (Feb. 7) at 47 years old.

Arnold’s very sad and wildly premature passing led to fans swarming DSPs and digital retailers to reconnect with some of his signature band’s biggest hits. The biggest bump came, appropriately enough, for the mourning-ready “Here Without You,” which notched nearly 2.9 million official on-demand streams and 4,400 digital song sales over the three-day period following Arnold’s death (Feb. 7-9), respective gains of 207% and 3,887%, according to Luminate. Breakout hit “Kryptonite,” up 112% to 3.3 million streams and 3,833% to 3,600 song sales, also saw huge gains, as did power ballad “When I’m Gone,” up 167% to 2.3 million streams and 5,176% to 3,300 song sales.

In full, 3 Doors Down’s catalog amassed nearly 17.5 million streams over that three-day period, along with nearly 20,000 song sales — gains of 236% and 4,903%, respectively. — AU

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There are so many headphones to choose from that fit specific needs, and the market is only growing.

With so much to choose from, hailing from big brand names such as Bose, Beats, Sony, Skullcandy and Apple, it’s hard to make an informed decision. With a quick search on Google, prospective buyers are overwhelmed with models in vibrant candy-colored hues boasting a number of facets — some with wires, some without, Bluetooth compatibility, ANC or Active Noise Cancellation, comfort tech and so much more. It’s enough to make a shopper’s head hurt.

People are searching for quality sound that they can rely on. They want crisp and clear audio that immerses, letting you tune out the world for a while.

ShopBillboard’s rule of thumb? Go where the musicians are. Chances are, they’ve collaborated with a brand that they actively use, which bodes well for the product’s abilities. There are many celebrity collaborations out there that have come out within the last few years, with products toting a stamp of approval from big names such as BLACKPINK’s LISA and JENNIE, Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Kardashian, Maluma, ENHYPEN and more, but which ones are right for you? Our goal is to make shopping for these collaborations as easy as possible.

Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorites, offering our honest perspective on each. This will hopefully give you the tools to make the right decision before buying expensive tech that is made exponentially more expensive when a celebrity’s name is attached.

Before we begin, some words that you might see often throughout this article include “drivers,” which are essentially tech that converts digital audio data into analog signals for speakers and vice versa for microphones; “ANC,” which is active noise cancellation that filters out unwanted noise; and “Personalized Spatial Audio” that creates a unique audio profile based on how you listen to music. You’ll also be hearing about “EQ” a lot, which is equalization, a process of adjusting the volume of specific frequency ranges.

Kardashian first partnered with Beats back in 2022 with the launch of Beats Fit Pro earbuds. Most recently, the reality TV star dropped over-the-ear Beats Studio Pro headphones in 2024, renewing her collaboration with the brand full-force. Much like her first collaboration, her 2024 iteration is centered in neutral hues of brown, tan and nude, mirroring the signature way she dresses. The neutral offerings are an all-around banger for $349.95 and can be purchased on Amazon.

We’d recommend this style to those who crave control over their audio-listening experience. You’ve got plenty of ways to adjust the audio to fit your specific needs, whether that’s through intense noise cancellation or through Beats’ Transparency Mode, which lets some noise filter through, keeping you aware of your surroundings. Our favorite aspect of these headphones is the compact design that folds in on itself, making it a breeze to pack away. These headphones have a 40 hour battery life for non-stop tunes and seamless Apple and Android compatibility.

Bose has lent its Ultra Open Earbuds model to a slew of ambassador musicians, including BLACKPINK’s LISA in her now sold-out collaboration in 2025, Griff in her 2024 music video for her track “Miss Me Too” and to Maluma, when he wore a custom pair worth $20,000 encrusted with diamonds at the 2024 Grammys. Unlike your normal earbuds, these Bose buds are an open concept, meaning they sit on the ear like a cuff for a more comfortable and intuitive fit.

While you can’t get your hands on any of the collaborative models as of 2026, the base model is practically the same. For $229 on Bose’s website, these earbuds feature what the company calls immersive audio, which uses digital signal processing and head tracking to create a spatial soundstage that makes the audio feel larger and more powerful by anchoring sounds in place even as you move. Another unique feature is the OpenAudio technology that plays on the same perks of the open design. This facet essentially gives you awareness while you’re listening to your music, opening up your ear to outside noise instead of closing it off. If you still don’t like the way music is sounding after all that, you can further customize via Bose’s app.

These earbuds are also water-resistant and boast up to 7.5 hours of battery life in stereo mode, or 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio. The case they are nestled in acts as a charging port, adding around 20 hours of extra battery life when fully charged.

Olivia Rodrigo dropped her very own LinkBuds with Sony back in 2023 in a Guts purple hue. The limited-edition model was a major success, especially among Rodrigo’s fans. The buds featured two custom equalizers tuned by Rodrigo and her producer, Daniel Nigro, for a Rodrigo-approved sound, letting fans experience the star’s music the way she sees fit.

While you can’t buy her purple LinkBuds anymore, beyond places such as eBay, the OG model is pretty much the same, save for the funky colorway. You can buy the original LinkBuds model for $229.99 on Sony’s website. The buds come in a slew of colorways and are super lightweight and comfortable to wear even for hours on end. Some of our favorite features are its impressive active noise cancellation that creates immersive sound, along with its water resistance for durability.

The most high-tech facet of these buds is the smart controls, namely, Wide Area Tap. This innovative control uses built-in sensors to detect vibrations from tapping the skin around your ears, not just on the earbuds themselves, allowing users to play, pause and skip music or calls by tapping your actual skin. This gives you more control of your sound with less effort.

ENHYPEN teamed up with Samsung back in 2024 to promote Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, a sleek and sophisticated design that the members endorsed while making music or via usage in their daily lives. The Samsung campaign the K-pop group was featured in was aptly branded with the tagline “Recommended by the Pros.” You can still purchase the earbuds via Amazon for $179.99.

These buds are nestled in a compact charging case, making sure your tech is charged and ready to go even on the go. The silhouette is a traditional earbud style with an acoustic outlet covered by ear tips for comfort and a long base that is essentially an antenna. You’ve got your standard earbud fair with noise-cancelling and water/dust resistance that make the model comparable to must, but the most impressive feature is the use of AI for “smart” controls.

With this feature, you can translate conversations in real time, optimizing sound based on your ear fit and surroundings for personalized audio and noise control for better ambient awareness. It’s a futuristic aspect that Samsung has really focused on to give their users the most streamlined experience possible. We’d recommend these Samsung buds if you want more out of your earbuds than just listening to music.

Bowers & Wilkins’ Px8 S2 is endorsed by the likes of English songwriter and producer James Blake and soccer star David Beckham. The marketing targets two types of demographics with help from these famous folk, proving that these headphones are meant for everyone, regardless of whether you’re a music pro or an athlete.

The over-the-ear style is available for $799, boasting one of the more hefty price tags on our list. It’s an investment piece, meant to last users a lifetime of listening. The design is stripped down and simplistic, made of Nappa leather, which explains the price tag. It’s an understated piece of tech when compared to some of the other, more colorful collaborative models featured on this list. As for the technical features, there are a bunch.

On the more standard front, you’ve got 30 hours of battery life, noise-cancelling functions, fast charging, fast pairing to devices and high-resolution audio thanks to aptX Lossless, which is a Bluetooth technology that allows you to listen to music wirelessly at the exact same quality as a standard CD with no data removed from the original recording. That means you can listen to your music wirelessly without fear of the quality of your audio dropping.

Physical controls can be seen throughout the headphones on the sides, allowing you to intuitively control your audio as you see fit. If that wasn’t enough, you can also control and customize your EQ with Bowers & Wilkins’ dedicated music app. If you’re looking to shell out on audio equipment that will last you a lifetime and come with all the bells and whistles of headphones, but refined, these headphones are for you.

Blood Orange’s collaboration with AIAIAI is a rather niche one that we don’t think got enough love. This one’s for our music listeners who want more style and flair out of their tech, because these collaborative babies have tons of it. The TMA-2 Move headphones are basically a tech fashion statement, coming in this retro-inspired design with a gray color scheme with pops of bright orange for a vibrant twist.

Beyond the cosmetics of these headphones, the style is a long-lasting, ultra-comfortable model with memory foam/vegan leather pads that cradle the ears for a comfortable experience for hours of listening. 40+ hours of battery lets you listen to music at length while Bluetooth compatibility is at its best, connecting to your device in a blink without issue. You’ve got dual mics for making phone calls and AIAIAI’s signature bio-diaphragm drivers, which have excellent acoustic properties, that deliver detailed sound every time. For those seeking out stylish headphones with the most comfort, these are the headphones for you.

Beats Solo 4 is the most affordable option on our list as far as collaborations go for just $149.99. BLACKPINK’s Jennie collaborated with Beats to take the brand’s Solo 4 model to the next level, adorned with sleek little bows and turned a vibrant bright red that is just as head-turning as JENNIE is. The collaborative headphones sold out early on after their release, so you unfortunately can’t get your hands on them now unless you want to pay extra on eBay.

The OG Beats Solo 4 model is pretty much the same, just without all that JENNIE flair. This over-the-ear style has up to 50 hours of battery life, the most we’ve seen, along with your standard personalized spatial audio that utilizes AI to change your audio experience in real time based on your surroundings.

As you may have surmised, a bunch of these headphones utilize AI tech to tailor your listening experience. It’s a smart perk, especially when you take into consideration that everyone listens to music and audio differently. It’s hard to provide for everyone, but AI tech helps bridge that gap. Custom drivers improve sound quality, while the design is ultra-light for comfort. If you’re looking for affordable headphones that still deliver quality audio, the Beats Solo 4 is for you.

Post Malone partnered with Sony in 2025 to promote the brand’s ULT WEAR Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones, currently retailing for $248 on the brand’s website. He also promoted Sony’s 1000X Series headphone model. The singer was tapped as part of their “For the Music” campaign, seen wearing the headphones while making music in the studio, showcasing the headphone’s capabilities when it came to music and tech innovation.

While you’ve got things like custom EQ and a 30 hour battery life, our favorite perk is the beamforming mics, which use an array of microphones and digital signal processing to create a focused “beam” of audio. This allows an isolated sound that focuses on a specific speaker’s voice while filtering out background noise, which is great for taking calls or streaming. We also love how these headphones can fold over, making them compact and easy to carry for travel when stored in the accompanying carrying case. If you’re a sucker for mic quality, these headphones should be at the top of your list.

DJ John Summit, producer of hits such as “Where You Are” (with HAYLA) and “Shiver,” endorsed Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones back in 2024 in conjunction with his new track”Go Back” featuring Julia Church. The collaboration showcased how Bose’s tech performed in the hands of a music producer, showing off its capabilities along with other Bose products like the SoundLink Max speaker.

These headphones come in a unique cranberry hue with a soft and sleek design and subtle Bose branding. Breaking down the most basic capabilities you’ve got a 24 hour, up to 30 hour battery life, excellent Bluetooth compatibility with multiple devices, a comfortable fit thanks to the cushions over the audio output and a CustomTune feature that lets users customize the sound they get to fit their specific needs. As mentioned in the name, the QuietComfort model is hallowed for its noise-cancelling abilities, the best out there according to Bose.

This world-class noise canceling is all thanks to the headphone’s Still & Motion modes. Still mode anchors the sound in one spot for stationary listening, while Motion mode allows the audio to follow your head movements for consistent immersion on the go. Essentially, both modes adapt to your surroundings to give users quality audio no matter the circumstances. If you’re looking for the best noise-cancelling capabilities that money can buy, these headphones are our pick.

We’ve mentioned Sony’s LinkBuds when touching on Olivia Rodrigo’s collaboration with the brand. In 2026, Sony broke new grounds by collaborating with holographic artist Hatsune Miku, a Vocaloid voice synthesizer software created by the Japanese company Crypton Future Media. Not much is different about this collaboration from Rodrigo’s model, except for the color, which is a seafoam green to match Miku’s hair. You’re still getting all the same perks of the OG LinkBuds, but in a limited-edition colorway. In short, these buds are a niche model made for the music nerds.

James Van Der Beek, who was known for portraying Dawson Leery in 1990s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, died at 48 on Wednesday (Feb. 11) after a battle with cancer, his family announced.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement, posted to Instgram, read. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

The actor revealed in an exclusive interview with People in November 2024, that he had stage 3 colorectal cancer; he was 46 at the time. Van Der Beek told the magazine that his family had no history of cancer, and that he was careful to take good care of his health. “I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles,” he told People. “But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time.”

He said that he first noticed changes with his bowel movements in 2023, but assumed it was diet related, but decided to be safe and get a colonoscopy. That’s when he learned he had colorectal cancer. Despite the diagnosis, Van Der Beek said he was “cautiously optimistic at the time,” telling People, “I have a lot to live for.”

Throughout his treatment, the actor shared his story, repeating in interviews that he hoped his tale would encourage others to talk to their doctors and get tested.

In addition to Dawson’s Creek, the actor also starred in films such as Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, and also had memorable guest roles on shows including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, One Tree Hill and Ugly Betty.

Van Der Beek also had a memorable starring role in Kesha’s 2011 video for “Blow.” In the visual, the actor and musician eye each other across a dance floor, then bust out laser guns and start shooting (taking out a few unicorns in the process), before Kesha reigns victorious.

James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their kids Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwen and Jeremiah.

See the family’s announcement of his passing below:

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