Dean is nominated alongside Paul McCartney, RAYE, Dave, Florence + the Machine, JADE, Suede and several emerging acts. The selection gives her another major industry honor after a successful period for the album and its singles.

This is Dean’s second Mercury Prize nomination. Her debut album, Messy, was shortlisted in 2023, helping establish her as one of Britain’s prominent new soul and pop performers. The Art of Loving, released in 2025, expanded her audience with songs including Man I Need.

The Mercury Prize is awarded annually to an outstanding album released by a British or Irish artist. A judging panel selects the winner based on artistic merit rather than sales or chart performance.

The 2026 winner is scheduled to be revealed during a ceremony in Newcastle on October 22. The winning artist will receive a £25,000 prize.

The weekly results also give Langley three entries in the top five. Her collaboration with Morgan Wallen, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” holds the No. 4 position, while “Be Her” completes the group at No. 5.

The achievement stands out because the five highest-ranking country songs all feature women as lead artists. Langley’s presence is especially notable, with three songs showing the broad reach of her current music.

The success is not reflected equally across every country format. Country radio rankings continue to feature a different mix of performers, showing that streaming, sales and radio airplay can produce very different results.

For now, the top of the overall country songs chart reflects a strong moment for Langley, Swift and Lefty, with women controlling its most visible positions.

Billboard’s June 2026 Top Movie Songs ranking placed the track at No. 1 following the animated film’s June 19 release. The monthly chart combines audience interest in movie music with U.S. sales and streaming activity tracked during the same period.

Swift released the song on June 5, two weeks before Toy Story 5 arrived in theaters. It plays first during the film’s closing credits and also debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

During June, I Knew It, I Knew You generated 73 million official on-demand streams and sold 89,000 downloads in the United States.

Songs featured in the Michael Jackson biopic Michael filled much of the rest of the movie chart. Billie Jean ranked second, followed by Beat It, Human Nature, Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough, Thriller and Bad.

The result gives Swift a leading movie soundtrack hit while keeping several familiar Jackson songs prominent with listeners.

In the clip announcing the release, Cardi performed part of the song near a beach. The verse takes a direct approach, addressing critics, personal independence and her refusal to feel limited by a relationship.

The single’s cover artwork shows Cardi wearing a bikini featuring the colors of the Dominican Republic flag. The visual highlights her Dominican heritage and continues the confident style surrounding the release.

AH HA is Cardi’s first solo release since her second studio album, Am I the Drama?, arrived in September 2025. She later supported the album with the Little Miss Drama Tour, which ended in April after a series of arena shows across North America.

The new single begins Cardi’s next phase following months of touring, festival appearances and live performances. It also gives listeners their first look at the music she is preparing after the Am I the Drama? era.

The response from the Recording Academy came soon afterward. Its chief executive said he was saddened by the group’s decision and defended the newly created Best Asian Pop Music Performance category as an effort to recognize more artists. He also stressed that Asian performers would remain eligible for general awards.

Online reaction focused heavily on whether a category defined by geography and language creates opportunity or separation. Many fans praised BTS for taking a public stand, arguing that the group’s music already competes within the international pop market.

Others viewed the new award as an additional path to recognition rather than a restriction. The contrasting reactions have turned BTS’s announcement into a wider discussion about inclusion, classification and equal access to major music categories.

The soundtrack earned 14,000 equivalent album units during its first tracking week. Its arrival continues the franchise’s history of connecting with younger listeners through music tied closely to its characters and fantasy-driven stories.

Released on July 17, the 12-song collection accompanies the fifth movie in the Descendants series. Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Liamani Segura, Rita Ora and other cast members perform across the album.

Songs include Perfect Princess, Mad, Dancing With the Enemy and For Once in My Life. The music blends pop, theatrical vocals and story-based performances designed to support key moments from the film.

The new chart results give the franchise another No. 1 children’s album and show that its music remains an important part of the broader Descendants experience.

The Colombian singer revealed the project during her July 29 concert at Rogers Stadium in Toronto. As part of the announcement, she also shared the album cover and spoke about her excitement to perform the new songs for fans.

The upcoming release follows her 2025 album, Tropicoqueta, and arrives while she continues her Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour. The new project adds another chapter to a run that has kept her active across recordings, live performances, and major international appearances.

Few details about the track list, featured artists, or full musical direction have been confirmed so far. The title, which translates to “I Don’t Regret Feeling So Much,” points to an emotional theme centered on personal experience and expression.

More information is expected as the release date approaches, including possible singles and additional album details.

The singer shared the news during a recent interview focused on their upcoming fifth studio album, Hazel Eyes. The album’s title is a personal reference to Cowan’s eye color, adding another connection between Smith’s music and their relationship.

Smith also explained that the new song Everlasting Love began taking shape the night before the couple’s first date. They described it as the first song they have written about love that is fully returned, marking a change from the heartbreak and unrequited feelings explored in much of their earlier work.

Smith and Cowan were first seen together publicly in December 2022. They later made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2024 Met Gala.

The pair returned to the Met Gala in 2026 wearing coordinated outfits designed by Cowan. Smith has generally kept the relationship private, saying that protecting their personal life has helped preserve its meaning away from public attention.

The announcement follows the Recording Academy’s introduction of Best Asian Pop Music Performance, a new category covering releases from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop and other Asian pop traditions. Some listeners have questioned whether the category could separate Asian artists from broader pop fields rather than expand their recognition.

ARIRANG marked BTS’s return as a full group after the members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. Released in March, the 14-track album ended a nearly four-year gap between group projects and renewed attention around the act’s international career.

BTS has received several Grammy nominations but has not won an award. Its previous recognition included nominations in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Album of the Year and Best Music Video.

The Recording Academy had not issued a response to the group’s decision.

During an interview at the event, Lacy was also asked about Sadie Sink’s role in the movie. His response appeared to reveal details about her character, which had not been officially confirmed before the premiere. The comment quickly drew attention because the studio had kept information about Sink’s part under wraps.

No further details were confirmed during the exchange, and the full context of her role remains tied to the movie itself. Still, the moment became one of the more talked-about clips from the event.

For Lacy, the soundtrack appearance gives “Oh Yeah?” a new setting and introduces the song to a wider film audience. His attendance also highlighted the connection between contemporary music and major movie releases.