To be clear, there is no R.E.M. biopic in the works. But if there were to be one, the retired band’s singer, Michael Stipe, has a predictably unpredictable choice of who might play the young version of him in such a movie were it to get greenlit. “Maybe Billie Eilish could do it,” Stipe, 66, told Stephen Colbert on The Late Show on Thursday night (April 23).

“She’d be good, kinda got similar eyes,” Colbert responded. “She’s amazing,” Stipe said of the 24-year-old “Birds of a Feather” singer. When Colbert asked if the veteran rocker had ever met Eilish, Stipe recalled that she once held a door open for him at a restaurant in Manhattan. “I don’t know if she knew who I was, she’s incredibly polite and sweet,” Stipe said, admitting that he didn’t know who Eilish was at the time either until she was already down the street a ways.

When Colbert offered to introduce them, Stipe said he’d love to meet Eilish and her brother/collaborator Finneas.

The Eilish suggestion came after Stipe had earlier said he’d definitely want someone “hot” to play him, at which point Colbert suggested fellow amply bearded man of a certain age comedian David Cross, which brought a bemused smile to the singer’s face. Colbert followed with suggestions ranging from Timothée Chalamet to J.K. Simmons.

Stipe was ostensibly on hand to talk about putting the finished touches on some of the lyrics on his long-awaited debut solo album, which would mark his first full album release since the band called it quits in 2011. “One of the songs is the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time,” he said cryptically, explaining that a friend of his recorded the sound of a tree in his backyard in Georgia and then played it back to said tree for a song he described as Daft Punk-like.

He added that he’s also including his version of the standard sea chanty “Drunken Sailor” on the unnamed LP, which he then harmonized on with Colbert, before noting that he wrote a “very special lyric” after mishearing some words in the original. “Tie him to the mast and shave his belly/ Tie him to the mast and shave his belly/ Duct tape donkey ears, jelly wellies, early in the morning,” Stipe sang.

In honor of the clock winding down on Colbert’s late night run, Stipe said as a gift to the show he came on to perform the debut of one of the tracks from the album due out later this year, “The Rest of Ever,” a plaintive, smoldering ballad in which he sings, “I love you, oh I love you madly/ I love you more than I can say/ I need you, oh I need you badly/ I need you more and more each day.”

Watch Stipe talk biopic dream casting and see him perform “The Rest of Ever” below.

After kicking off the year with a 73-day stint in a U.S. immigration detention center, Jamaican dancehall artist Chronic Law is finally free — and he’s telling his story on his own terms.

On Friday (April 24), the Caribbean Music Award-winning deejay released I.C.E. (Inside, Cold & Empty), an aptly titled nine-track project that traces his faith journey during his detainment. Arriving via Collect Di Bred, 1Law & Notnice Records, and primarily produced by Notnice — who helmed Vybz Kartel & Spice’s 2009 crossover hit “Romping Shop” — I.C.E. infuses Law’s signature trap-dancehall soundscape with ample doses of brass-laden roots reggae and choir-anchored gospel.

“Mi mek this EP fi give Jah thanks,” Law tells Billboard. “Me’s a man that believe inna God, but mi never really take the time fi read my Bible. Mi nuh take di time fi even give Jah thanks for nothing at all, just a live life and move fast. But when things slowed down, mi start reading my Bible and talk to Jah. And some things, only Father God alone can do.”

Born Ackeme Jermaine Campbell in St. Thomas, Chronic Law has emerged as one of the defining voices of contemporary dancehall. Boasting hits such as “Don’t Fall,” and last year’s “NY Girls,” and “Badness Upgrade 2.0” (his take on the viral “WYFL” riddim), Law has quickly differentiated himself from his peers through his versatility and vulnerability. Never afraid to get introspective and truly survey the depths of his emotions on wax, fans commonly refer to Law as their collective “therapist.” According to Luminate, Chronic Law collected over 86.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams in 2025, and he’s already garnered over 25.4 million official streams this year (through April 16).

On Jan. 12, Law was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and three days later (Jan. 15), he was transported to South Florida Detention Facility, nicknamed Alligator Alcatraz. “For di first week [of detainment] mi nuh think pon mi music, mi just think of come out,” he says. “But after the first week and three days, mi a seh, ‘I want a pen and paper.’ I needed to exercise my mind, rather than just sit down and think about outside.”

Keeping in tradition with artists forced to transform their recording processes while under state surveillance, Chronic Law wrote his entire I.C.E. project over the phone. During pre- and post-breakfast down periods, Law would have his manager, Bashy, play Notnice’s riddims over the phone. Since those calls were limited to 15 minutes per session, the collaborators moved quickly, sifting through riddims for Law to handwrite his lyrics to. As a freestyler, Law rarely wrote out his lyrics — but this disruption in his routine gave way to a new understanding of that particular approach to songcraft.

“A long time mi nuh write, a good while,” he reflects. “Mi a man that just go inna studio, play the riddim and f—k har out [get it done]. But when I sing off top, I don’t have time to fix things. Yuh nuh get time fi look at [your lyrics] and correct them. When I write, I can change lines and give [myself] more time to process.”

That extra processing time resulted in lyrics that house some of Law’s most thematically consistent and visually arresting bars yet. “Couple dog turn fraud, is a catty mek e call/ And me no short suh mi affi stand tall/ Everglades, this a cage inna alligator yard,” he sing-raps in the first verse of “Like Samson,” the set’s resilient lead single, which arrived on April 17. Law’s vocal performance is also noticeably more wistful, especially on cuts like “Prayer Work,” which was the first song he recorded the same day he was released from ICE custody. From the Bonnie & Clyde-nodding “Ride or Die” to the rapturous closer “If a Neva God,” I.C.E. is relentlessly honest in its recounting of how Law’s faith — and overall psyche — evolved during his detainment.

On March 26, Chronic Law shared an Instagram post captioned, “God bless,” seemingly confirming his release from I.C.E. custody without charge. There remains no publicly disclosed explanation for his arrest, with the dancehall star simply telling Billboard, “Dem have dem reason.” Regardless, he hasn’t let this experience deter him from expressing his truth and life story in his music, stressing, “Yuh cyan judge me through my music.”

Although I.C.E. is a heavier project, Chronic Law promises a variety of new projects to come in 2026, including a reggae compilation and something “fi di gyal dem.” Above all, he hopes peers and fans alike are inspired to “get closer to God” instead of “putting [their] trust” in people after listening to his soul-baring new EP.

“Some tougher songs are coming,” he says, “The time I’m putting in… it’s a different type of thing I found.”

The gay community has been hung up on Madonna for decades — and the feeling has always been mutual, with the Queen of Pop consistently using her platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ people worldwide, even way before it was socially acceptable for pop stars to do so.

So it’s only fitting that ahead of the release of Confessions II — the sequel to her 2005 dancefloor masterpiece Confessions on a Dance Floor — Madonna is teaming up with Grindr for a global collab to launch her hotly anticipated album.

On Friday (April 24), Madonna is taking over the grid — meaning the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket is now officially part of the Queen of Pop’s realm. The in-app experience features exclusive content, location-aware moments that appear in the Global Gayborhood and limited-edition product drops — one of which is an exclusive picture disc of Confessions II, handpicked by Madonna, available only for Grindr users.

“Thanks for coming” is the opening benediction of Confessions II, an album designed to unite people on the dancefloor in real time. Similarly, the Madonna x Grindr experience “rewards participation and discovery,” according to the press release, “connecting users not just to content, but to each other” — i.e., all the beautiful strangers in the Gayborhood.

“Grindr drives connections, shapes culture, and builds community – and no one embodies that spirit quite like Madonna,” says George Arison, CEO of Grindr. “She has been empowering our community to Express Yourself for decades, so this feels less like a partnership and more like a homecoming.”

After debuting the first taste of her upcoming album, “I Feel So Free,” on SiriusXM’s Pride Radio last Friday (April 17), Madonna is continuing to superserve her devoted queer fanbase (which has been integral to her success and a part of her identity from the start of her iconic career) with this collab. By taking over the grid, Madonna is meeting many of her fans where they already are, giving them an early peek at the dancefloor ahead of the album’s July 3 release.

So open your heart and get into the Grindr groove — because bitch, it’s Madonna!

With just over a month to go, SXSW London has confirmed its full music programme for its 2026 edition (June 1-6).

The event is in its second year and will take place in east London’s creative spaces including XOYO, Shoreditch Town Hall and more.

Joining the line-up are Dallas rap collective Cure for Paranoia, spoken-word and hip-hop musician BrokenPen, K-Pop idol YUNJIN, Italian pop superstar Gaia, Afrobeats rising star Oxlade and more.

They’ll be accompanied by Croydon-based grime artist Jords, Reggae-inspired singer-songwriter Iyamah, Finn Askew, Oscar Blue and Finnish band Rabbit Cult as well. Check out the full line-up for the showcase here.

Earlier this year, the first wave of artists was announced with Nigerian Afrobeats artist Tiwa Savage, American rapper Earl Sweatshirt, Nigerian rapper and singer Odumodublvck, American sibling rock band Infinity Song, and British singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri all confirmed to perform at SXSW. 

Amaria BB, Sega Bodega, Shame, Circa Waves and producer Fraser T. Smith were also announced, with Industry Pass Holders having exclusive access to a performance by DJ Pete Tong.

It’s the second edition of the music festival and wider conference, with Tems, Nile Rodgers, and Sasha Keable appearing at 2025’s event.

Speaking on the line-up, Adem Holness, head of music at SXSW London, says: “I’ve always loved artists, collectives and platforms building new scenes on their own terms, shaping sounds, spaces and audiences around them.”

He added, “At a time when algorithms can flatten culture into sameness, stepping into real, physical music communities matters more than ever. We’re taking over grassroots venues across East London, bringing those distinct global scenes into the same space, not as trends but as movements shaped by the people inside them. If you want to understand where music is heading next, it starts in these rooms, with the people creating it.”

Passes for the event are on sale here.

Billboard parent company Penske Media acquired a majority stake in SXSW in 2023.

Ball Park Music’s Dean Hanson had a good reason for missing the 2026 Queensland Music Awards this week on the Gold Coast; the rhythm guitarist and bass player was hospitalized after fracturing his collar bone playing a game of social cricket.

Hanson had successful surgery overnight, so their forthcoming Rock and Roll Adventure Tour “may continue,” reads an update from the beloved indie rock band. As a result of the injury, the opening show May 1 at the Beach Hotel in Kingscliff is “just too soon for us to be back to 100%,” reads that social message, and a new date has been locked in for June 13. All tickets remain valid.

“Thanks for understanding and supporting Deano while he lets his new upgrades load,” the post continues, “so we can come hit the stage better than ever.”

When members of BPM attended the QMAs, Hanson was conspicuously absent (Jennifer Boyce didn’t show, but guests were told that she’s doesn’t much like awards ceremonies). The group went on to collect two awards, including album of the year for Like Love, their ARIA Chart topping eighth studio collection.

While collecting the QMA trophy, bandmate Paul Furness remarked: “Our guitarist Dean couldn’t be here tonight because he broke his collarbone the other day. He was trying to take a catch in the seventh grade cricket in Brisbane. He dropped the catch and broke his collarbone.”

The statement, issued today, puts a different spin on his “heroic effort to change the course of a social cricket match.” It’s unclear who won the game, or when Hanson will be cleared for band duties, or a return to the pitch.

The collar bone, or clavicle, is one of the most frequently broken bones in the human body, often due to falls or sports — or in Deano’s case, both.

Like Love went to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in April 2025, the band’s first leader after long streak of frustrating misses which included three titles that peaked at No. 2: Puddinghead (2014), Ball Park Music (2020), and Weirder & Weirder (2022). Later in 2025, the band opened for Oasis on the reunited Britpop legends’ stadium tour of Australia.