Wildfire smoke and New York storms hit stages as Jennifer Finch is mourned, Martin Garrix and The Edge debut Fireflies, and BTS sets a Spotify mark.
Extreme conditions framed the day: Poppy skipped Upheaval Festival amid hazardous wildfire smoke while New York’s Citi Field and Forest Hills shows, including Noah Kahan, were called off for weather. The rock world mourned L7 bassist Jennifer Finch, 59, as Tomorrowland lit up with Martin Garrix bringing The Edge to debut U2-linked Fireflies and BTS’ NORMAL video claimed a Spotify single-day streaming record. Elsewhere, Grupo Firme set a Mexico City stadium benchmark, CDs outpaced vinyl in U.S. H1 growth, and farewells and spotlights stretched from a public Swansea send-off for Bonnie Tyler to Jeff Tweedy’s Kimmel turn and Jelly Roll’s San Quentin video shoot.
Weather and safety disruptionsRemembrance and farewellsCross-genre collaborationsLatin touring power movesStreaming and sales milestones
Poppy sat out Upheaval Festival, saying she was unable to breathe through wildfire smoke as her band played instrumentally in respirator masks.
Inclement weather nixed Saturday’s outdoor shows at Queens’ Citi Field and Forest Hills Stadium, including Noah Kahan’s concert, just before showtime.
L7’s Jennifer Finch died at 59; tributes poured in as reports noted her diagnosis with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Martin Garrix debuted new U2 collaboration Fireflies with The Edge onstage at Tomorrowland, with the track due out soon.
BTS’ NORMAL music video set a Spotify single-day streaming record, the second single from the Billboard 200-topping ARIRANG.
Grupo Firme broke attendance records at Mexico City’s GNP Seguros Stadium, turning a U.S. visa setback into a winning stadium strategy.
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