New drops, World Cup spectacle, and legacy power plays
Gracie Abrams leads a stacked release day as BTS unveil a stark new video, the World Cup dominates music chatter, and Iron Maiden seal a landmark rights deal.
A heavy New Music Friday set the tone, with Gracie Abrams’ third album arriving alongside marquee singles and TV moments, while BTS offered a candid, wintry counterpoint with their “Normal” video. Football fever bled into music headlines from halftime lineups to anthem milestones and sharp critiques, even as classic rock institutions made strategic moves and tour news stacked up coast to coast. Industry and legal currents—from AI dustups to sales trends and lawsuits—rounded out a packed Thursday.
New Music FridayWorld Cup x MusicLegacy & Catalog MovesLive & FestivalsAI & Tech in MusicIndustry & Legal
New music spotlight: Gracie Abrams’ Daughter From Hell lands with a Fallon performance of “Minibar,” Billboard track rankings and behind-the-scenes voice notes; Carly Rae Jepsen shares “After All” off her September double LP Day and Night;T
inashe announces Popstar and drops “Crash Out”; Post Malone teases a return to hip-hop.
BTS pull back the curtain: the group’s wintry “Normal” video from Arirang invites fans to look beyond the spotlight.
World Cup takeover: the closing ceremony will feature Post Malone, Tom Cruise and Jennifer Hudson; Shakira & Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai” makes World Cup history and sits at No. 1 globally; The Cure’s Robert Smith slams FIFA’s show and Trump’s on‑
trophy role; metal trio Mutoid Man call the official theme “familiar”; Mick Jagger and Liam Gallagher react to England’s exit while System of a Down needle Oasis; Gustavo Dudamel and two orchestras will honor Venezuela at halftime.
Legacy and heavy moves: Iron Maiden sell 50% of their likeness and music rights to Pophouse to fast‑track plans; the Rolling Stones weigh AI’s role with a call for originality; Slipknot are deep into writing with producer Matt Wallace; Echo
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