Inside Charlie Puth’s Final Blue Note L.A. Show: Why He’s Making All the Right ‘Changes’ in This New Era

As Taylor Swift sang on last year’s Tortured Poets Department: “We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.” Maybe the pop singer/songwriter just needs his next era to get even bigger than he already is (the man has four Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits, including the 12-week No. 1 “See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa, after all). And that next era is on the horizon, with the announcement of his fourth studio album Whatever’s Clever!, due in March, and the release of the lead single “Changes” last week.

Related

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth Announces ‘Whatever’s Clever!’ Album & Reveals Big Life ‘Changes’ in Music Video: He’s Going to Be a Dad

Dua Lipa performs onstage during her Radical Optimism tour at Anfield on June 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England.

How Dua Lipa, Chappell Roan & Sabrina Carpenter Are Maximizing Their Tours With Smart Pop Tactics

Taylor Swift on "Capital Breakfast with Jordan North and Sian Welby"

The Life of a Chat Show ‘Showgirl’: Why Is Taylor Swift Making the Full Interview Rounds for the First Time in 5-Plus Years?

Over the past month, Puth has been testing out some of his new material during a 16-show residency across Blue Note New York (Sept. 25-28) and Blue Note Los Angeles (Oct. 16-19), bringing jazzy reimaginings of some of his biggest hits to the legendary jazz club stage. Billboard was inside the final Los Angeles concert over the weekend, and on the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie is telling Keith all about seeing Puth play at such an intimate venue.

Katie was mostly struck by what a good fit the venue was for Charlie and his catalog, as “Professor Puth” (known for sharing his music education with the TikTok audience) led an incredibly talented band of instrumentalists and backup singers through a masterclass of live pop. And as for the new songs — we heard “Beat Yourself Up” and “Changes” from the upcoming album on Sunday night — the crowd was just as into the brand-new tunes as they were into “Attention,” “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” “How Long” and, of course, “See You Again.” It seems that this new Dad Rock vibe Puth is leaning into (appropriately, the “Changes” music video also doubled as a pregnancy announcement for him and his wife Brooke) is going to be a perfect match.

Listen to the full conversation here:

And speaking of Taylor Swift… also on the show, we’ve got chart news about how Swift continues to hold down the No. 1 spots on both the Billboard 200 albums and Billboard Hot 100 songs charts with The Life of a Showgirl and lead single “The Fate of Ophelia,” while Olivia Dean makes gains on the Billboard 200 with The Art of Loving.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

/by

Wu-Tang Clan to Perform Final Ever Australian Shows in 2026

Wu-Tang Clan will return to Australia in 2026 for what’s being billed as their final performances in the country — with all original members reuniting for Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber.

Presented by Untitled Group and TEG Dainty, the legendary hip-hop group will perform arena shows across Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in March 2026, marking the end of an era for Australian Wu fans.

The announcement follows the group’s first-ever hip-hop residency in Las Vegas and the North American leg of the Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour, which reaffirmed the group’s place as one of the most influential acts in music history.

In an August interview with Billboard, the group’s manager Tyler Childs hinted that Australia was already in their sights. “There are a lot of different options,” he said. “Certainly Europe, Australia, Asia and then definitely coming back to North America next year. What shape does that take? It’s going to be arenas again, and we want to go to markets that haven’t been repeated.”

All nine members of the Wu will be onstage—RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadonna—making this a rare and final chance for Australian fans to see the full Clan together.

RZA, who founded the group in Staten Island in the early 1990s, added, “As we continue adding on to the cypher, The Chamber moves from local to global.”

Audiences can expect tracks from the group’s 4× platinum sophomore album Wu‑Tang Forever, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 1997, as well as cuts from their 1993 debut Enter the Wu‑Tang (36 Chambers) — including “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Protect Ya Neck.” Wu‑Tang Clan has released seven studio albums, and have sold more than 40 million records worldwide

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday, Oct. 30. A Telstra Plus pre-sale runs from Monday, Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. to Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 11 a.m. local time. Additional pre-sales via My Ticketek, Untitled Group, TEG Dainty and venue partners begin Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 12 p.m. and run until Thursday, Oct. 30 at 12 p.m. VIP packages will also be available, offering premium seating and exclusive merchandise.

Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour Australia

March 25, 2026 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre
March 27, 2026 — Rod Laver Arena
March 28, 2026 — Qudos Bank Arena

/by

Jorge Mejia From Sony Music Publishing Accepts the Publishing Corporation of the Year Award | Latin Music Power Players 2025

Jorge Mejia from Sony Music Publishing accepts the Publishing Corporation of the Year Award from Billboard’s Leila Cobo.

/by

Kapo Presents the Top Latin Albums Label of the Year to Alex Gallardo | Latin Music Power Players

Alex Gallardo from Sony Music Latin accepts the Top Latin Albums Label of the Year Award from Kapo.

/by

Noah Assad from Rimas Accepts Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year Award | Latin Music Power Players 2025

Noah Assad from Rimas accepts the Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year Award.

/by

J Balvin, Xavi & John Janick Present Latin Executive of the Year to Nir Seroussi | Latin Music Power Players 2025

Nir Seroussi accepts Latin Executive of the Year from J Balvin, Xavi & John Janick.

/by

Peso Pluma Presents George Prajin With the Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year Award | Latin Music Power Players 2025

George Prajin accepts the Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year Award from Peso Pluma.

/by

Brandy Explains Abrupt Exit From Stage at Chicago Concert With Monica

Brandy made an unexpected exit from the stage Saturday night (Oct. 18) at Chicago’s United Center, where she was performing with Monica on the singers’ co-headlining The Boy Is Mine Tour. While she made it through most of the show, her abrupt departure meant fans didn’t get to hear the pair’s signature duet “The Boy Is Mine,” a hit that topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for 13 weeks in 1998.

On Sunday, Brandy explained that her early exit was due to a medical concern. She posted a full statement on Instagram.

Related

Brandy and Monica

Brandy & Monica Announce ‘The Boy Is Mine’ Co-Headlining Tour With Kelly Rowland, Muni Long & Jamal Roberts: All the Dates

“To my dear fans in Chicago,” Brandy wrote, “Thank you all for the overwhelming love, support, and—most importantly—your prayers. I sincerely apologize for the abrupt end to last night’s performance in Chicago. After weeks of nonstop rehearsals, last night I experienced dehydration and feelings of wanting to faint. Everyone involved agreed that prioritizing my well-being was of the utmost importance.”

“I still made the decision to try and return and give it my all despite not feeling ok,” said Brandy. “With having to make some adjustments and the show being very technical, unfortunately, it was impossible to fully connect sonically with the production. I really appreciate everyone’s best efforts.”

She added, “I’m deeply grateful to my sister, Monica, for stepping up with such grace and professionalism and the entire crew for their continued care and support.”

Brandy said she sought medical care locally Saturday night and will return to the stage Sunday.

“I went from the arena to see a doctor nearby and have taken the proper precautions to help moving forward,” she wrote. “Your understanding, patience, and unwavering belief mean the world to me. I look forward to returning to the stage—stronger and more grateful than ever—alongside my girl, Monica, tonight in Indianapolis.”

Brandy and Monica have a three-day break following their Oct. 19 show in Indianapolis, before taking the stage together in Nashville on Oct. 24. Their joint tour runs through Dec. 14 in Jacksonville, Fla.

See Brandy’s statement below.

/by

Sabrina Carpenter’s Debut as ‘SNL’ Host: All 8 Sketches Ranked

Sabrina Carpenter hosted SNL for the first time and starred in eight sketches that made it to air Saturday night (Oct. 18) in an episode that seamlessly paired with the pop star’s brand of humor.

With a background in comedy television — a decade ago, a then-teenaged Carpenter was the lead on the Boy Meets World spinoff Girl Meets World — and with some familiarity with the SNL stage (as a music performer twice, and with one “Domingo” sketch in her pocket), the singer/actress was poised for success pulling double duty as host and musical guest Saturday night.

And she delivered, from the cold opening all the way through her final sketch of the night — with two playful performances sandwiched into the schedule (a youthfully staged “Manchild,” plus an uncensored “Nobody’s Son”).

With a short and sweet monologue, Carpenter poked fun at her Man’s Best Friend album cover and her “horn-dog pop star” persona — “I’m not just horny, I’m also turned on, and I’m sexually charged, and I love to read; my favorite book is the encyclopedia… it’s so big and it’s hard” — and throughout the episode portrayed roles ranging from a singing washing machine to a tween boy podcaster to an entrepreneur peddling a pillow that looks like a vagina. (Audience reports from the dress rehearsal say there were also a couple sketches with Carpenter that didn’t make it to broadcast, including one about the “perfect man” and a Salem witch-themed bit.)

Here’s a ranking of every sketch Carpenter was in on the show that aired Saturday night. Watch all eight sketches from the Oct. 18 episode of SNL below.

/by

Sharon Osbourne Mourns Loss of Beloved Rescue Dog Elvis: ‘He Gave Me 14 Precious Years’

Sharon Osbourne is mourning the loss of her beloved dog, Elvis.

On Sunday (Oct. 19), the 72-year-old television personality and longtime wife and manager of the late Ozzy Osbourne took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message honoring her loyal companion.

Related

Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne

Sharon Osbourne Breaks Silence Following Ozzy Osbourne’s Death: ‘Still Having Trouble Finding the Words’

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne Pays Tribute to Beloved Dog Rocky: ‘I’ll See You on the Other Side My Friend’

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne Mourned by PETA for His ‘Gentle Side,’ Four Decades After Infamous Bat Incident

“I can’t believe I am posting this but my darling Elvis passed away this week,” she wrote alongside a carousel of photos featuring the Siberian Husky. “He gave me 14 precious years. He was by my side until the end. Rest in peace my darling boy!”

Elvis was adopted by Sharon and Ozzy and became a cherished member of their large family of animals, which over the years has included dogs, cats, and even rescue pigs. The Siberian Husky was often seen curled up in Sharon’s lap during interviews, TMZ reports.

Elvis’s passing comes nearly a year after the Osbourne family experienced another loss — the death of Ozzy’s 15-year-old Pomeranian, Rocky, in August 2024.

“Two days ago I lost my good friend Rocky who has been at my side for 15 years,” the Black Sabbath frontman wrote on X at the time. “I’ll see you on the other side my friend. I love you always.”

The loss of Elvis also comes nearly three months after Ozzy himself passed away on July 22 at the age of 76. Sharon addressed her husband’s death for the first time in mid-September, posting an emotional message on Instagram alongside a video of herself and daughter Kelly at a falconry in England.

“I’m still having trouble finding the words to express how grateful I am for the overwhelming love and support you’ve shown on social media,” she wrote. “Your comments, posts, and tributes have brought me more comfort than you know. None of it has gone unnoticed, in fact, it’s carried me through many nights.”

See Sharon’s full post about Elvis’ passing on Instagram below.

/by