World Cup Halftime: FIFA’s 2026 final in New Jersey is set for the first-ever halftime concert, with Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS and Burna Boy onstage, curated by Chris Martin and featuring Gustavo Dudamel. BTS Global Pull: BTS closed the European leg of its ‘ARIRANG’ tour at Stade de France with a record 184,000 fans across two sold-out nights, and Macron posted from the crowd; the group also teased more FIFA-related momentum. Cuban Music Activism: Dissident artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami after five years in prison, with Marco Rubio calling for the release of 700+ political prisoners. South Africa Streaming: Spotify named Tems the first African female to earn a RIAA Diamond single in the US (“Wait For U”), while Tyla topped South Africa’s most-streamed local R&B list. Tour Disruptions: Noah Kahan’s Citi Field show in New York was cancelled last minute due to severe weather. Concert Backlash: CORTIS faced fan criticism over a short runtime and repetitive setlist on its debut solo tour. New Music: Lana Del Rey says she’ll release a companion record to ‘Stove’ (titled ‘Spyda’). Industry/Community: L7 bassist Jennifer Finch died at 59 after an aggressive brain cancer diagnosis.