Carl Carlton, the funk, soul, and R&B singer best known for his 1981 hit “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” and his Top 10 1974 cover of “Everlasting Love,” has died at 73. The news of his death was confirmed by his son on social media on Sunday (December 14), where he wrote: “RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of She's a Bad Mama Jama. Long hard fight in life and you will be missed 😢.” Born Carlton Hudgens in Detroit in 1952, Carlton’s career spanned decades with a series of chart success and memorable television appearances. His 1971 song, “I Can Feel It,” reached the Billboard Soul Singles chart, and his major success was his 1974 cover of Robert Knight’s “Everlasting Love,” which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 15 weeks on the chart.

Carlton is best remembered for his 1981 hit, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama,” which reached No. 2 on the soul chart and spent 21 weeks on the American charts, reaching a peak of No. 22 on the Hot 100, eventually being nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The recognizable track has been sampled by numerous contemporary artists and featured in popular films and TV shows, including Friends and Miss Congeniality 2. Carlton’s last release was 2010's gospel album, God Is Good, and despite suffering a stroke in 2019, he continued to contribute to music, with his passing being mourned by peers and fans alike who are honoring his lasting impact on soul and R&B music. (Rolling Stone)

50 Cent, who stars as Balrog in the upcoming Street Fighter reboot set for October 2026, teased on Instagram over the weekend that he plans to recruit Eminem to create new music for the film’s soundtrack. “I’m gonna get @eminem on deck to make some music for this movie Street Fighter 🔥🎥,” 50 wrote, before promising, “New Music on the way!” The news excited rap fans who are eager for a reunion between the longtime collaborators, known for their past hits like “Patiently Waiting” and “You Don’t Know,” while last working together on “Gunz N Smoke” from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s 2024 joint album, Missionary. The star-studded movie is also set to feature Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo, Orville Peck, and WWE superstar Roman Reigns, with 50 Cent performing his own stunts after undergoing intense training sessions to prepare for his role as a former boxer turned security guard. (Billboard)

Fergie recently reunited with the Black Eyed Peas members Will.i.am, Apl.de.Ap, and Taboo to celebrate their landmark 50th birthdays together, with the "London Bridge" singer sharing the heartfelt moment in an Instagram post on Saturday (December 13). “Finally got to break bread and celebrate our milestone birthdays together,” Fergie wrote in the caption alongside a photo of the foursome. “What a special night with my brothers, filled with so much love 🫛🫛♥️♥️,” she added. Will.i.am commented on the post, "The best one yet!!! And I’m so happy…,” while Taboo added, "This is a beautiful way to start this holiday season w/ my familia," and Apl.de.Ap chimed in by writing, "Sharing milestone birthdays with the family that’s been through so much together." The group originally formed in 1995, and welcomed Fergie in 2002, with whom they released four platinum-selling, chart-topping albums, 2003's Elephunk, 2005's Monkey Business, 2009's The E.N.D., and 2010's The Beginning. (People)

Mariah Carey’s 1994 holiday classic, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” has set a record with its 20th total week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest reign in the chart’s 67-year history. Carey’s Christmas chart-topper surpasses the 19-week rule of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” and is now tied with Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” for the longest-charting title by a female artist at 77 weeks. Last week, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” returned to the top spot for a record-extending seventh holiday season, with the track marking Carey’s 19th No. 1 on the Hot 100, the most by any solo artist. Carey also became the first artist to achieve No. 1 hits across four decades (1990s to 2020s), while closing in on the Beatles’ overall record of 20 chart-toppers. Holiday hits claim eight spots on this week’s Hot 100 Top 10, including all of the Top Five.

Brenda Lee’s 1958 classic, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” leads the way at No. 2 after jumping up a spot from the previous week, trading places with Wham!’s 1984 hit, “Last Christmas,” which sits at No. 3 a week after hitting a new No. 2 peak. Bobby Helms’ 1957 holiday standard, “Jingle Bell Rock,” remains at No. 4, followed by Ariana Grande’s 2014 single, “Santa Tell Me,” which jumps up three spots to reach its No. 5 best. Nat “King” Cole’s 1946 classic, “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” moves up one spot to reach a new high of No. 8, while Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” reenters the Top 10 by jumping up two spots match to its No. 9 peak, and Andy Williams’ 1963 hit, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” remains at No. 10.

The two non-holiday tracks to crack this week’s Top 10 are HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” from KPop Demon Hunters, which falls a spot to No. 6, and Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,” which drops one place to No. 7, after spending its first eight weeks at No. 1, tying “Anti-Hero” for her longest-leading career hit. (Billboard)

On Monday (December 15), Mariah Carey announced that she will be performing at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, taking place on February 6 at the San Siro Stadium. The Queen of Christmas shared the exciting news in a glamorous Instagram video where she greeted fans in Italian by proclaiming, “CI VEDIAMO A MILANO!​,” which translates to “SEE YOU IN MILAN!” The five-time Grammy-winner’s performance is expected to be a highlight of the event, which follows the memorable opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris that featured Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. The announcement comes during Carey’s peak holiday season, as her iconic hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” is spending its 20th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for most total weeks at No. 1 in Billboard chart history. (Billboard)

Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was the most-played song on TouchTunes jukeboxes for the second consecutive year in 2025, continuing its 2024 reign that coincided with its record-tying run as the longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart throughout that year. Released in April 2024, the track dominated each of TouchTunes’ quarterly Frontline Chart throughout 2025 and will move to the Catalog ranking in 2026, setting up a head-to-head with Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey,” the platform’s top song in 2023 and this year’s No. 2 hit. Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” is the top non-country song of the year, coming in at No. 3 , while Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” – the most-played new song of 2025 – landed sixth. Wallen also retained his status as TouchTunes’ most-played artist for the second year running, while also topping each installment of Billboard’s newly introduced quarterly TouchTunes Artists Chart, followed by Stapleton, Toby Keith, Shaboozey, and AC/DC. (Billboard)

At a star-studded private holiday party for Todd Boehly's Eldridge Industries held at Port Chester's Capitol Theatre on Thursday night (December 11), the house band for the festivities was the rock supergroup dubbed the Dirty Bats – featuring Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, and Andrew Watt. They were joined by surprise guests Bruno Mars, Eddie Vedder, Anthony Kiedis, Brandi Carlile, and Yungblud for a special night of classic rock covers and originals. Highlights included Yungblud opening with songs by the Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath, Carlile performing Led Zeppelin and Queen, Kiedis delivering Motörhead and Allman Brothers Band favorites, and Vedder showcasing Pearl Jam hits alongside covers of the Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello. Bruno Mars headlined with powerful renditions of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” The Police’s “Roxanne,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire,” Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana,” and notably his first full version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The evening concluded with all artists joining together for singalongs of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” with Leonardo DiCaprio spotted among the A-list audience. (Stereogum)

On her 36th birthday on Saturday (December 13), Taylor Swift was warmly celebrated by her Eras Tour backup dancers Kameron Saunders and Jan Ravnik, who both shared heartfelt tributes on social media highlighting their years of professional collaboration and personal admiration for the pop superstar. "To my girl … my boss lady!" Saunders captioned an Instagram post featuring a photo of himself and Swift in rehearsals. "Each year my love for you grows deeper and deeper. You are such an astounding human being!! I’m honored to be in your orbit.” Ravnik’s post featured a carousel of photos from The Eras Tour, along with the caption, “I’m endlessly grateful for you and for the 3 years we’ve shared together. You’re one of a kind ! 👑 🫶🏼” Swift capped off a monumental 2025 by releasing her twelfth album, The Life of a Showgirl, which broke first week sales records, as well as premiering a docuseries and concert film about her Eras Tour, while regaining control of her music catalog, and announcing her engagement to Travis Kelce. (People)

Beyoncé’s 32-show Cowboy Carter Tour was the highest-grossing solo artist tour of 2025, after earning $407.6 million from 1.6 million tickets sold. The jaunt also set the record as the highest-grossing country tour ever, despite playing a total of only nine cities with mini-residencies at each stop. This achievement follows Bey’s historic 2023 Renaissance tour, which grossed $579 million over 56 shows, making her the first American artist with two tours that surpassed $400 million. The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn tour ranked second among solo artists, grossing $336.7 million over its 46 dates while becoming the biggest tour by a male artist in history. Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres tour was the year’s top overall grossing trek at $464.9 million across 59 shows, making it the highest-grossing rock tour of all time. (NME)

After a year largely spent out of the public eye, Harry Styles surprised a fan named Sydney with a heartfelt video message that went viral on social media after it was shared on Saturday (December 12). The former One Direction singer looked directly into the camera while expressing his support for the fan: “Hi, Sydney! I’m Harry. Hope you’re doing real well. Just wanted to say hi. Heard you’re going through a bit of a tough time, so I’m sending lots of love to you. Hope to see you soon, take care.” The British pop star, known for his Grammy-winning 2022 album, Harry’s House, and chart-topping hit “As It Was,” has been focusing on personal moments and surprise appearances as of late, including completing marathons in Tokyo and Berlin and attending events like the Vatican’s election of Pope Leo XIV. Amid speculation about a new romance with actress Zoë Kravitz, Styles’ thoughtful gesture highlights his ongoing connection with fans even during his lengthy hiatus. (Billboard)

During her Mayhem Ball Tour stop at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Saturday night (December 13), Lady Gaga abruptly stopped her performance after dancer Michael Dameski slipped off the stage, made slick by a heavy rainstorm at the outdoor venue. In a fan-shot video of the incident, Gaga quickly paused the show to check on him, earning applause from the audience, before announcing, “If you could just give us five minutes, I just wanna get some proper grooves on the shoes of the dancers.” Dameski later confirmed on a series of Instagram Stories that he was uninjured after the fall, writing, “Hey everyone! I’m ok. Thank you for checking. Happy I was able to finish the last show of the year!” Gaga’s Sydney concerts marked the final 2025 dates for her Mayhem Ball Tour, which grossed $166.2 million while drawing over 700,000 fans during 35 shows, with the tour set to resume in Tokyo in January 2026. (Billboard)

Taylor Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl secures its ninth nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart dated December 20, earning 89,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. for the week ending December 11. Of Swift’s 15 No. 1 albums, only The Tortured Poets Department (17 weeks), 1989, and Fearless (each 11 weeks) have spent more time atop the chart. This week’s sales included 50,000 streaming equivalent albums (down 5% with 65.83 million streams), and 39,000 pure album sales (down 16%), with Showgirl climbing back to No. 1 on Top Album Sales while falling two spots to No. 4 on the Top Streaming Albums chart.

Half of the Top 10 on this week’s Billboard 200 are holiday albums, led by Michael Bublé’s Christmas, which climbs up two spots to reach No. 4, followed by Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas ascending two slots to No. 5, Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song jumps up five places to No. 6, Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack move up a spot to No. 8, and A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector vaults up four slots to No. 9. The non-holiday albums rounding out the Top 10 are Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem holding at No. 2, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack remaining at No. 3, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving moves up a spot to No. 7, while Stray Kids’ former chart-topper DO IT falls six slots to No. 10 in its third week. (Billboard)

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani remain "solid" in their marriage despite recent speculation about a possible divorce. A source tells People that there is "no truth to the split rumors," and that the couple is simply managing their demanding careers. Married since 2021 after six years of dating, the pair continue to prioritize family time amid busy schedules – with Shelton releasing his 13th album in May and preparing for a Las Vegas residency in January, while Stefani is promoting her new music and getting ready for No Doubt’s upcoming reunion shows in May. Shelton is a stepdad to Stefani’s three sons she shares with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, with the couple trying to strike a balance between work and family life. In May, Shelton said their relationship “still feels new for me,” as the couple celebrated ten years together. (People)

On Thursday (December 11), Guns N’ Roses officially announced the support acts for their Summer 2026 North American tour. Public Enemy will be opening the first eight dates of the tour from July 23 to August 16, while The Black Crowes will provide support for four shows between August 22 and September 2. Pierce the Veil will open select dates in September, while The Barbarians of California will join for two dates in August and September, and Ice Cube is set to perform in front of a hometown crowd at GNR’s high-profile show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on September 5. The tour kicks off with earlier spring dates in Mexico and Florida before hitting U.S. and Canadian stadiums and amphitheaters throughout the summer, concluding on September 19 in Atlanta, with no support act yet announced for that final show. (Consequence of Sound)

At the 22nd show of Sam Smith’s intimate "To Be Free" 24-date residency at Warsaw in Brooklyn on Wednesday night (December 10), the Grammy and Oscar-winning artist surprised fans by bringing out special guests Brandi Carlile and Ed Sheeran. Carlile joined Smith for a moving performance of their 2018 charity single, "Party of One," while Sheeran took the stage for the live debut of their duet, "Who We Love," which was featured on Smith’s 2023 album, Gloria. The night culminated in a sing-along finale of Smith’s hit, "I’m Not the Only One," featuring both guests. Smith also previewed new material, including the upbeat love song "My Guy," hinting at more music to come in 2026. “I wanted to get back into rooms where I can see your faces,” Smith told the star-studded audience, which included Anna Wintour and Anne Hathaway. “It’s been such a beautiful experience, so thank you to the Warsaw,” Smith shared. (Billboard)

In the new trailer for Aidan Zamiri’s film, The Moment, Charli XCX grapples with the overwhelming commercialization and overexposure of her "Brat Summer" concept, originally a creative idea tied to her Grammy-winning 2024 album, Brat. The semi-fictionalized narrative explores her uncertainty about continuing the brand amid pressure from managers, labels, and executives who push for constant innovation and broader market appeal, including an Amazon-funded concert film and corporate promotions. As Charli questions what she truly wants amid these competing demands, the film highlights the challenges of maintaining artistic authenticity within pop stardom. The Moment is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026, and will hit theaters on Jan. 30. The film, which is based on an original concept by Charli, also stars Rosanna Arquette, Hailey Benton Gates, Kate Berlant, and Isaac Powell, with special guest appearances by Rachel Sennott and Kylie Jenner, making her movie debut. (Rolling Stone)

During an interview on UK radio on Thursday (December 11), Timothée Chalamet addressed the viral conspiracy theory that he is secretly Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid. The Oscar-nominated actor initially responded, “I’ve got no comment,” to the playful prodding from the show’s hosts, before teasing, “All will be revealed in due time.” The rumor surfaced in November after fans pointed out similar eye features shared by Chalamet and the masked rapper, whose debut album, Rebel, recently surged to No. 131 on the Billboard 200 chart due to the buzz surrounding the Hollywood star’s possible involvement. Chalamet, a longtime hip-hop fan who once rapped as Lil’ Timmy, remained cryptic amid wild fan speculation as he promotes his upcoming film, Marty Supreme, which co-stars Tyler, The Creator and is set to be released on Christmas Day. (Billboard)

During her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday (December 10), Taylor Swift was asked by the host to name her top five favorite songs from her catalog, a question he previously asked famous past guests like Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, and Elton John. The 14-time Grammy winner struggled to come up with her choices, telling Colbert, “this is so much pressure, oh my god.” However, Swift confidently chose the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” as her number one, eliciting cheers from fans in the audience. Swift also mentioned being currently obsessed with tracks from her chart-topping new album, The Life of a Showgirl, while also saying she would include “Mirrorball” from Folklore “somewhere in this list.” The interview coincided with the promotion of her upcoming Disney+ docuseries, The End of an Era, and concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour: The Final Show, both set to debut on Friday (December 12). (People)

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will feature the premiere of Antiheroine, an “unfiltered and unapologetic” documentary about Courtney Love. The film is co-directed by Edward Lovelace and James Hall, and includes a tagline describing the project as, “Now sober and set to release new music for the first time in over a decade, Courtney is ready to reveal her story.” Love is also included in Broken English, an intimate film about the late Marianne Faithfull’s life and legacy that will make its U.S. debut at the festival, which also features appearances by Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Jehnny Beth, Suki Waterhouse, and Beth Orton.

The festival’s lineup also includes two films featuring Charli XCX: The Moment, an A24 film which she conceived and stars in that explores the complexities of pop stardom, and I Want Your Sex, where she appears alongside Olivia Wilde. Other notable music films debuting at the festival include Tamra Davis’ The Best Summer, documenting a pivotal music era with footage of iconic bands like Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, and Beck, and The Disciple, which offers a rare glimpse into the making of Wu-Tang Clan’s notorious album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The festival runs from January 22-27. (Consequence of Sound)

Coldplay rules the 2025 year-end Billboard Boxscore charts with their record-setting Music of the Spheres World Tour, which grossed $464.9 million between October 2024 and September 2025. This marks the band’s second consecutive year at No. 1 and fourth straight year in the Top Five, with total earnings surpassing $1.5 billion and 13.1 million tickets sold – the most in concert tour history. The tour spanned four continents and included a record-breaking 10-night Wembley Stadium residency that grossed $131.4 million, setting the highest single-venue engagement for a headline artist.

Coldplay also led the Top Rock Tours and Top Ticket Sales charts for the third consecutive year, completing another clean sweep of major year-end touring honors. Boxscore’s Top Tours year-end tally was rounded out by Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour at $407.6 million, Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s Grand National Tour at $358.7 million – the highest-grossing co-headline tour ever – followed by The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour at $336.7 million – the highest-grossing and best-selling R&B tour ever – and Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour at $327.4 million. 2025 saw five separate tours surpass the $300 million milestone, a new all-time record. (Billboard)