Making Time 2026
Courtesy of Making Time
The judge overseeing the case of attempted murder against Rihanna has halted the proceedings in order to allow the accused, Ivanna Ortiz, 35, to undergo a mental health evaluation. According to the Associated Press, on Tuesday (May 19) Judge Shannon K. Cooley ordered a pause in the prosecution of Ortiz after Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman said he has doubts about his client’s mental competence.
Ortiz is accused of firing 20 shots from an AR-15-like rifle at Rihanna’s Los Angeles home on March 8 while the singer, her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three children were in the residence; Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, one for each of the people on the two properties, as well as three charges of shooting at an occupied vehicle or dwelling.
Cooley ordered the psychiatric evaluations and temporarily transferred the case to a Hollywood mental health court that specializes in determining whether defendants can understand the proceedings against them and are capable of going through a trial. “It is the ethical obligation of counsel and the court to ensure that Ms. Ortiz’s rights are protected, including being able to assist counsel in conducting a defense in a rational manner,” Dillman told the AP; prosecutors did not comment on the decision.
If Ortiz is found incompetent, she could be held indefinitely in a state hospital until she is able to face the charges in court. The decision came a week after Cooley declined to pause the proceedings for a mental health evaluation and Ortiz objected, with the judge saying she thought the case should move on to trial. At that hearing, Cooley ordered that Ortiz should continue to be held on $2 million bail.
According to police, Ortiz pulled up to the home on March 8 in a rented Tesla and fired the rounds at the home. While no one was injured in the incident, according to police interviews with witnesses, some of the shots hit an Airstream trailer that Rihanna and Rocky were in, with investigators finding bullet holes in the trailer and on the exterior wall of the home’s second-floor nursery, where the three children were with their nanny.
Investigators said that after her arrest later that day, Ortiz, a licensed speech pathologist who has no prior police record, told them “I wasn’t attempting murder.” According to a copy of the police report obtained by Rolling Stone, Rihanna and Rocky were in the Airstream when the singer heard “approximately ten loud sounds like something banging on metal.” When she opened the curtains, she “observed bullet holes in the windshield directly in front of where she had been standing.
She then grabbed Rocky out of bed, “told him they were being shot at, and pushed both of them to the ground.” Police also said Rihanna allegedly stated, “they shooting at us,” as she forced Rocky to the ground before the couple ran into the garage and rushed into the home to make sure their children and staff were safe.
After the shooting, Ortiz fled and a police helicopter quickly found her car and arrested her. Investigators found six bullet holes in the vehicle gate of the Beverly Hills home, as well as a seventh on a pedestrian gate and three holes in a wooden fence covered by tall bushes. To date, Rihanna has not commented publicly on the incident.
Hitmaker Sarah Aarons adds more silverware to her heaving collection by snagging several Billions Awards, presented to APRA AMCOS’s songwriter members and their publishers in recognition of a song surpassing one billion streams.
The Los Angeles-based, Melbourne-raised Aarons earns two awards for her breakup song “I Miss U, I’m Sorry,” co-written with and performed by folk-pop darling Gracie Abrams. Her second award is for another love song “Love Me Not,” performed by Ravyn Lenae and co-written with Anderson Paak, Brent Reynolds, Christian Farlow, Craig Balmoris, Dahi, Dominic Angelella, Jaelen Irizarry, Julian Nixon and Spencer Stewart. Aarons is published by Sony Music Publishing.
Just last month, Aarons was on hand at the 2026 APRA Music Awards, where she won the international recognition award, for her work with the likes of Tame Impala, BTS, Flume, Gracie Abrams, ROSÉ and Maren Morris. All told, she has won sixth APRA Awards, included the coveted songwriter of the year at the 2019 APRAs.
Meanwhile, sibling duo Amy and George Sheppard, along with co-writer Jay Bovino, collected their first Billions Award for “Geronimo,” recorded by the Brisbane-based pop group Sheppard. The song won two APRA Music Awards in 2015 for most played Australian work and pop work of the year, and cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014, peaking at No. 53. The Sheppards are published by Mushroom Music Publishing.
“It’s been an amazing journey for us, and to have the amazing team that we’ve had, getting to bring joy to people for the last 14 years, it’s a dream come true,” comments George Sheppard. “Thank you so much for this amazing honor.”
Sneaky Sound System‘s Connie Mitchell is feted for the hip-hop song “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” co-written with DJ Toomp and Kanye West. Following its release in 2007, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Also in the winners’ circle is Kota Banks (published by Gaga Music) and Taka Perry (published by Concord Music Publishing ANZ) for their work on KATSEYE’s “TOUCH.” Other co-writers on the song were Blake Slatkin, Caroline Ailin, Magnus Holberg and Omer Fedi.
“We wrote ‘TOUCH’ a few years ago at my old studio in Glebe,” explains Perry at a special presentation for the Billions Awards. “At the time I was a huge K-pop fan and I wanted to write some K-pop demos. I hit up Kota (Banks), and I was like, ‘do you want to come to the studio and work on a few songs together?’ And one of those songs was ‘TOUCH.’ I think we probably wrote it in an hour or two. It was just one of those things where it was the right song, in the right place.”
The eighth recipient is Los Angeles-based, Scottish songwriter and producer Stuart Crichton (published by Concord Music Publishing ANZ), who enters the 1,000,000,000 List with Kygo’s “Stargazing,” which he wrote back in 2017 alongside Kygo, Jamie Hartman and Justin Jesso.
Crichton, who called Australia home in the 2000s, and is represented by Concord Music Publishing ANZ, enjoyed APRAs glory last month with most performed dance/electronic work for “Tell Me,” recorded by Sonny Fodera and Clementine Douglas.
The Billions Award takes into account streaming numbers from the major services, including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
“When APRA’s founding publishers first met 100 years ago in 1926, they could never have imagined we’d be here in 2026 celebrating songwriters and publishers for reaching one billion streams,” comments Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS.
“It’s an extraordinary achievement, especially given the sheer volume of music released every day – both human and AI-generated. We’re incredibly proud to have been able to support these eight members throughout their careers and now see their songs connecting with huge audiences around the world.”
Read more here.
Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) will go extra-large for its 2027 event in Las Vegas, with a newly imagined “Dusk Till Dawn” concept.
Returning to its home at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, EDC Las Vegas 2027 will spill over two consecutive weekends, across 12 days.
The first of those weekends, “EDC Dusk,” will roll out from May 14-16. The second, “EDC Dawn,” is set for May 21-23, while the full “Dusk Till Dawn Experience” will party on from May 13-24.
According to reps at Insomniac, which produces the festival, the “Dusk Till Dawn” experience will extend beyond the festival grounds with curated EDC-themed events throughout Sin City.
The performers, too, will have a chance to roll the dice. Headliners can choose whether to attend ”EDC Dusk,” “EDC Dawn” or the full program.
“I’m really excited to introduce ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ as the next evolution of EDC and offer new ways for headliners to experience the music, art, connection and community that make this festival so special,” comments Insomniac founder Pasquale Rotella, in a statement.
“We wanted to reimagine EDC as a new type of immersive journey across 12 days and two consecutive weekend celebrations in one city we love.”
This new concept, he continues, gives headliners “the freedom to choose their own path and join us for one or both weekends, while enabling us to continue evolving, experimenting creatively, and sharing new moments Under the Electric Sky.”
Party goers have a full year to get their EDC Las Vegas outfits sorted. The sold-out 2026 edition of EDC Las Vegas was presented last weekend in celebration of 30 years Under the Electric Sky. All told, more than 450 artists took their positions on stage, including Kaskade, Martin Garrix, John Summit, Tiësto, Charlotte de Witte, FISHER, Peggy Gou, Underworld and The Prodigy.
Last year, Insomniac reported that EDC 2026 sold out 24 hours after going on sale, with the fest welcoming roughly 200,000 people each day, placing it in the frame among the world’s largest music festivals. For those EDM fans who missed out this time, next year’s event should provide more opportunities to get in on the fun.
Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 22 at lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com. One weekend passes are priced from $399.99 (general admission all-in) up to $899.99 (VIP all-in), while two-weekend passes start from $599.99 (GA all-in) up to $1,699.99 (VIP all-in). Further details on the lineup, those citywide events and more will be announced at a later date.
Read Billboard’s interview with Pasquale Rotella here.
SYDNEY, Australia — Young Australian music creators and their teachers have a new award to pursue.
Established by experienced music industry executive Milly Petriella, the NUMAs (Next Up Music Awards) are a youth-led celebration of emerging talent in schools supported by student internships, and are designed to strengthen the pathways connecting young creators and the contemporary music industry.
Homegrown artists Sia and Troye Sivan will support the initiative as the first wave of industry patrons, with Mahalia Barnes announced as artistic director alongside DOBBY as First Nations artistic director, and Ruby Rodgers and Myka Champion appointed as the first youth patrons, with a remit to helping shape the program and reflect how music is created and shared today. Others will be announced in due course.
The NUMAs will have its own presentation, too. The inaugural event is slated for Jan. 28, 2027 at venue partner Carriageworks in Sydney.
According to reps, the NUMAs are a response to declining access to music education and growing concern for the future creative workforce and recognizes school-aged recording artists, producers, and songwriters. Moving ahead, the initiative provides a national stage through awards, live performance, mentorship, and paid youth roles behind the scenes.
The spotlight will also shine on educators, with a music teacher of the year awards presented by Music Australia across both primary and secondary categories, recognizing the important role teachers play in guiding the next generation of artists and industry.
And on the way is a paid Youth Intern Program, recognizing young recording artists, producers and songwriters.
“NUMAs is not just an awards program,” comments Petriella. “At a time when so much of our young people’s lives are shaped online, we want this to be a real-world space for creativity, connection and live expression. Through paid internships, mentorship and hands-on involvement in the event, we’re helping young people build skills, confidence and community, whether they see their future on stage, in the studio or behind the scenes.”
NUMAs founder Petriella was lauded in the Australia Day 2024 Honours List with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for “service to music and the performing arts.” That service included a 27-year stint as director, member relations and partnerships at APRA AMCOS, from 1995 to 2022, where she earned a reputation for moving mountains for the PRO’s members.
Over the years, Petriella founded the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition, which has raised over A$2.5 million for Nordoff-Robbins since its launch in 2009; served as creative producer of the APRA Music Awards; championed the SongHubs program; administered the society’s Ambassador program; the Professional Development Awards; the Women In Music Mentorship program; the Vanda and Young Global Songwriting Competition; and grew its Los Angeles, London and Nashville as director, Global Music Export Offices.
Open nationally to students aged 6–18 and their music teachers, nominations and intern applications will open in June 2026 via nextupmusicawards.com.
The NUMAs are backed by the federal government’s Revive Live program, with partners including The Song Room, Carriageworks, and Music Australia, and others yet to be announced.
A shiny new toy — namely a Dolby Atmos for his home studio in Los Angeles — has revived Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee‘s interest in some of his old musical playthings.
On Friday (May 22), Lee will release Tommyland Rides Again, a freshly refurbished and expanded treatment of 2005’s Tommyland: The Ride, his second solo album after his short-lived side project Methods of Mayhem. Filled with guests — including Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden, Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, Sum 41′ Deryck Whibley, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin), Fuel’s Carl Bell and others — the 12-song set peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard 200 and hit the Hot 100 with the Butch Walker collaboration “Good Times,” which was the theme for that year’s NBC/VH1 reality series Tommy Lee Goes to College.
“A couple years ago, my kids were tripping out and like, ‘Dad, you gotta re-release this,’ ’cause it was 20 years since it came out,” Lee tells Billboard via Zoom. “I didn’t really think much of it, but then the studio got done being built and I was like, ‘I wanna remix some of my stuff’ — one being Tommyland: The Ride, for its anniversary.
“So I learned the process, and once you hear Dolby Atmos, it’s insane. I’ll never listen to regular stereo again. And now we’re going down the rabbit hole and I’m remixing anything.”
At the time of its release, and with its guest list, Tommyland: The Ride was a kind of snapshot of rock music circa 2005. More in the realm of Lee’s 2002 solo debut Never a Dull Moment than Motley Crue’s heavy glam rock or the industrial roots of Methods of Mayhem, Tommyland was decidedly more melodic and focused on songcraft, even downright gentle in spots. “Whenever I do something solo, without Motley Crue, I’m like a little kid in a sandbox,” Lee explains. “It’s just you, and you sort of have the freedom to do whatever it is that’s blowing your skirt up.
“The cover art kind of says it all; it’s basically a, like, roller coaster (track) going into my ear, into my f***in’ crazy, eclectic musical styles mind, and that’s what it’s always been.”
In addition to the new mix, Tommyland Rides Again adds another track, “Stupid World” with Chad Tepper, an uncharacteristically topical song that Lee wrote during the Covid pandemic. “I found a bunch of stuff,” Lee says, “and the second I heard it I was, ‘I gotta do this. The timing couldn’t be better,’ just because of the content. It’s really about how ridiculously stupid the world we live in has become. Things have gotten even crazier since (he wrote it), and I was like, ‘I’m rolling with this. This is meant to be, ’cause shit’s pretty stupid right now.
“I mean, nobody knows what’s real anymore, whether it’s a photograph or a video, a political statement or…just everything. Nobody knows if anything is real, and that’s a really f***in’ stupid place for us all to be in.”
As excited as he is to present the newly mixed Tommyland to the world — he recommends “Hello Again” and the helicopter effect on “Trying To Be Me” — Lee acknowledges that rock music, and the industry in general, was “in a very different place” when the album first came out.
“Back then there was space for things, for music and videos to come out and be heard and seen and paid attention to,” he says. “Now…Spotify releases, what, a half a million songs a day? More? Who the f*** is listening to that? We’re f***ing inundated with content, not only music but all the arts. So how does someone cut through all the static to actually find something that they love?” Nevertheless, Lee notes, he’s still inspired to keep creating amidst those challenges.
“It does inspire me to make things really special so that they do stick out from the static,” he explains. “There’s so much noise out there that it inspires me to be better. But it also bums me out because we are where we are. You can’t really undo it. So it’s definitely more for me, 100 percent.”
Lee did enjoy the trip down memory lane in revisiting Tommyland for its new edition. “It still means what it meant to be then,” he says, including the presence of his various guests. The Nick Carter appearance raised eyebrows at the time, but Lee maintains that it was as natural as having any of the rockers on the set.
“It wasn’t like I sat around saying, ‘Who do I want to collaborate with?’ It just kind of happened track by track,” he recalls. He met the Backstreet Boy when both were featured on an episode of MTV’s Punk’d, “and we became really, really cool friends. I was working on this tune (‘Say Goodbye’) around that time and we were at my house and I played it for Nick, and he just started singing and I was like, ‘Oh, shit, what are you doing for the next couple days, bud?’ He’s such a cool guy, such an incredible voice. I was like, ‘Let’s do it. I’m probably gonna hear a bunch of flak from some metal heads, but f*** them!’”
As Tommyland Rides Again comes out, Lee is remixing more of his catalog, including his other solo albums and his Methods of Mayhem releases. He’s eyeballing some brand-new material for 2027 and also “wouldn’t mind having a crack” at remixing some Motley Crue in Dolby Atmos.
Before all that, however, he’ll be on the road with the Crue for a The Return of the Carnival of Sins! summer tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of that concert tour and the band’s 45th anniversary. The 33-date mostly amphitheater trek, which also includes Tesla and Extreme, begins July 17 near Pittsburgh and wraps Sept. 25 in Ridgefield, Wash.
“It’s gonna be fun,” Lee predicts. “The last run we did was all stadiums, which was f***ing phenomenal. But I really do love a good outdoor amphitheater, shed vibe. That’s always fun in the summer.” Motley Crue also polled fans for setlist suggestions, which he says “made us go back and dust off four or five tunes that we haven’t played in a long time, so I think the fans are gonna be pumped.” He declined to name what they are, however.
The group has also released some new songs in recent years — “Dogs of War,” “Cancelled” and a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party)” — but Lee says Crueheads will have to be patient for more. “We’re always writing, and we do have some stuff kicking around,” he notes, “but right now the only thing in front of us is going out to do these summer dates. But after that I think it’s safe to say you’ll probably be hearing some new stuff in ’27.”
When Queen Latifah takes the stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to host the American Music Awards on Monday (May 25), she’ll become the first person ever to have solo-hosted both the Grammys and the AMAs. She hosted the Grammys in 2005.
If you add in performers who solo-hosted the Grammys and co-hosted the AMAs, you pick up two more names – Kenny Rogers and LL Cool J.
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The personable Queen Latifah has solo-hosted several other shows: the BET Awards in 2010, the NAACP Image Awards in 2023-24 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2024.
Latifah is also set to be a coach on The Voice this fall, alongside Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and Riley Green. “All roads lead back to music for me,” she told Billboard on Tuesday (May 19). “Everything I’ve done in my career, it all started with music.”
The 52nd American Music Awards are set to air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+.
Taylor Swift is this year’s most nominated artist with eight nods, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr with seven each.
Billy Idol will receive this year’s lifetime achievement award and deliver his first-ever AMAs performance. Karol G will perform and receive the international artist award of excellence. Other performers include Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, New Kids on the Block, Riley Green, sombr, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, The Pussycat Dolls + Busta Rhymes and Twenty One Pilots.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
What makes a good host? I’ve seen big singers, big names, who just don’t have it. It’s a particular skill. What does it take?
I think you just have to be able to relate to an audience. I know a lot of really huge stars who are pretty camera-shy. They can be still quite shy when it comes to relating to people, and definitely a room full of people. I think you have to be able to allow for a certain amount of spontaneity, because it’s live and you don’t know what might happen. So you sort of have to feel comfortable at the helm. Rehearsal — you gotta be able to read and rehearse. To me, I feel much more comfortable when I know everything that’s gonna happen, and I feel like I’ve changed the words that don’t sound like things that would come out of my mouth and made it my own. I think it’s important for anybody who’s hosting the show to sort of make it theirs, so that they feel comfortable, and it just flows.
Who are some hosts, not just of the AMAs or the Grammys, but of all shows over your lifetime where you thought, “Boy, they’re good.“
I think Jamie Foxx is a great host. I’ve seen him host, and I thought he was a great host because he’s funny, and he can sing, he can play instruments, so he could break into song at any moment, but he’s also a comedian, so he’s funny, and he’s an Oscar[-winning] actor, so he knows how to play and just fall into a role. Just something about his little grin makes you think there’s always something coming, something is about to happen, so I think he was always a great host. We can take it way back into other people, but he’s the one that comes right to mind.
Who are some other people?
How far back are we going?
Well, on the Oscars, you have Bob Hope and Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal.
Billy Crystal – I thought was an amazing host. Yes, and I think Robin Williams [was] a great host, and Whoopi Goldberg, if we’re going there, I think those three are killer combination of hosts. But yeah, Billy Crystal, top-notch, top quality. Just all the quick-witted, funny things.
Do you know most of the artists performing on the AMAs? I imagine some of the newer people, like sombr and Teddy Swims, you’re probably meeting for the first time.
I met sombr at the Grammys, because I was already a fan, and I was already plugging in. “Back to Friends,” that was like my song, because that song really sounds like something of my era, that I would have grown up on those harmonies, and the rhythm of it. It’s not such a new style that you can’t really grasp it. It’s just a proper song. He’s great, and just his whole performance style, just going out there and just being himself in just the most amazing way.
How about other artists who are either performing or are nominees this year?
Leon Thomas, I’ve been playing his record a lot, so of course I know him. Karol G, I’ve been a fan of. Taylor Swift, of course, you know. New Kids, come on. You know, we’re talking a lot of people that I’m quite familiar with, and of course Billy Idol, like I just can’t wait to see him. Sabrina Carpenter is great, you know. I’ve gotten to see a lot of these performers perform at other shows, or on SNL or somewhere along the way. So I’m just excited to see them actually under one roof one night to see how they get down in Vegas.
Teyana Taylor is on fire, as you know, with an Oscar nomination, a Grammy nomination, just everything. It occurs to me that you are one of the people who paved the way for her and made her success possible.
Maybe I have seen her so much and so closely that it didn’t even occur to me to say her name, but I play her albums like religiously, like her music goes everywhere I go, and has for years, and everything she does, even if she’s opening up a nail salon in Harlem, she does everything with a certain style. She just did a collab with [Michael] Jordan, she gave me some sneakers, you know, we had the All-Star Game together, we were at a Tom Brown fashion show together.
I’ve been trying to support her, but, like, give her her space at the same time, because being nominated for every single thing in the world on the planet is not easy, and she has done it with such an amazing style and flair, and making it her own, which she always does, that I’ve just gotten to enjoy watching it all happen for her. But she knows I’m here if she ever needs to talk. All I’ve told her to do is just enjoy the moment, because this is not something that happens very often, so make sure you stop to enjoy this. Make sure you stop to just enjoy this thing, and not let it just all be the grind of what it is when it all happens, because it can be. It’s quite a grind, but it’s also a grind that you not might not see very often. You [should] actually have a party at one of these parties you’re at, enjoy it.
You’re doing The Voice this year. Have you started taping those episodes?
No, we haven’t started taping, but that’s going to come pretty soon. So the gears are grinding, the gears are grinding. I’m so elated about that, to be able to hear, I mean, I’m going to be like, ‘turn a chair’ and work with a bunch of great people, and be in one of my most comfortable spaces, which is around music. Leave me in music, and all roads lead back to music for me. Everything I’ve done in my career, it all started with music, and music goes along with me through everything that I do. I find some song that I can put on that can connect me to that thing or the feelings I may have at that moment. So, it all comes back to music. So, I’m really happy for it to come back to music on this one, and just the real music, like what this is, people’s dreams, you know, people have a dream, they have a gift, and they want to share it, and it’s always exciting to hear that, and to help it come to fruition, because people help me, and so I’ve always been one to want to help do the same thing.
OK, this has been great. You gave me just what I need. I thank you for taking the time.
What you got back there on those shelves?
CDs, from days of yore.
Oh man, I thought I had a lot of CDs. You got me beat.
Philadelphia’s Making Time ∞ (pronounced “Making Time Forever”) has announced its 2026 lineup.
The robust bill features more than 120 producers and live acts including Bicep (who will be playing their only 2026 show in the Americas at the fest), Canadian club stalwart Daphni, German experimental producer Skee Mask, Sonic Youth legend Kim Gordon, Detroit leader Theo Parrish, Norwegian electronic duo Smerz, American favorite Avalon Emerson, frequent collaborators Octo Octa b2b Eris Drew, British producer Daniel Avery, Scottish legend Optimo (Espacio) and many more. See the complete lineup below.
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Making Time ∞ 2026 returns to the festival’s longstanding location at Philadelphia’s Fort Mifflin this Sept. 18-20. Festival attendance is capped at a tight 3,000 people, and tickets are on sale now. (Tickets with no service fees are available at The Lot Radio in Brooklyn and Middle Child & Middle Child Clubhouse in Philadelphia.)
“This year’s Making Time ∞ lineup sets its sights on the future whilst also harkening back to the origins of Making Time,” says the festival’s founder, producer Dave P. “When I started Making Time in the year 2000, the party was based around booking live performances from bands like The Strokes, Interpol, Bloc Party and LCD Soundsystem alongside DJs. This year I’ve booked more live performances than ever before.”
Since its launch, Making Time has distinguished itself as one of America’s most revered independent electronic music festivals, with a focus on the roots of club culture, rising artists, legends of the scene and a grassroots vibe it maintains to this day.
Hot 97’s Summer Jam is back. The pioneering hip-hop radio station revealed its first wave of artists on the bill Tuesday (May 19), including a homecoming show for Fetty Wap, French Montana and Max B, Ice Spice, Rick Ross and DaBaby.
Summer Jam will take over New Jersey’s Prudential Center on July 24. Rounding out the rest of the lineup, the 7 p.m. stage includes Stove God Cooks, Conway the Machine, Roc Marciano, Nems, 38 Spesh, Albee Al and Diany Dior.
As for the 8 p.m. stage, fans can look for Cash Cobain, G Herbo, Zeddy Will, Omah Lay, Honey Bxby, Sleepy Hallow and 41. More artists will be announced on June 5. Summer Jam Tickets will go on sale starting on May 22 at 10 a.m. ET.
“Summer Jam continues to be the ultimate celebration of Hip Hop culture and the heartbeat of New York,” said Kudjo Sogadzi, who serves as the EVP, Content & Growth at MediaCo. “This year’s lineup reflects the sound of the moment while honoring the artists and communities that continue to move the culture forward. From legends to the next generation, Summer Jam 2026 is built to create unforgettable moments.”
Summer Jam is returning to Prudential Center after a successful 2025 run, which included Gunna as the night’s headliner with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, GloRilla, Muni Long and more hitting the stage.
As for this year’s lineup, DaBaby will be bringing along his Billboard Hot 100 hit “Pop Dat Thang,” which sits at No. 27 on this week’s chart. French Montana and Max B will have a new project to boot, with their joint project Wave Gods 2: Cosmos Brothers arriving on May 22.
Find the entire Summer Jam 2026 lineup below.
Josiah Queen earns his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart as “Demons” rises three spots to lead the ranking dated May 23. It totaled 3.1 million official U.S. streams, 23.9 million in radio airplay audience and 1,000 sold in the May 8-14 tracking week, according to Luminate.
Written by Queen, John Michael Howell, Zac “ZVC” Lawson and Dylan Thomas, the song previously became one of six top 10s among 27 career Hot Christian Songs entries for the Tampa, Florida, native, who first made the list in 2023 with “I Am Barabbas.” He has since developed into one of Christian music’s most prolific young chart presences, averaging a new chart entry roughly every other month.
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Queen is part of a new wave of Christian artists whose rise has been fueled by streaming and social media as well as radio. He broke through in 2023, with “The Prodigal,” his second entry, hitting No. 4 and spending a year on the chart. He followed with 2025 top 10s “Can’t Steal My Joy,” with Brandon Lake, “Dusty Bibles” and “Jesus Is Coming Back Soon,” with Forrest Frank. This April, “Judas” reached the region.
Queen has also found success at Christian radio. “Can’t Steal My Joy” hit No. 1 on Christian Airplay after first appearing on Hot Christian Songs, while “Dusty Bibles” entered the Hot Christian Songs top 10 before climbing to No. 9 on Christian Airplay in late December.
Both of Queen’s full-length albums, 2024’s The Prodigal and 2025’s Mt. Zion, debuted at No. 1 on Top Christian Albums and have spent a combined 141 weeks on the chart.
The Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines has never been afraid to speak up when it comes to music or politics, and now the 12-time Grammy winner has issued a sharply worded criticism against President Trump.
In a new Instagram post, Maines wrote, “Our democracy is disappearing right before our eyes. This fugly slut is using your gas money to pay the insurrectionists. But don’t worry about it. I’m sure posting selfies will fix everything. My last post that called him a fugly slut got removed. We’ll see how long this one lasts. Repost and help this message live. Named 1M times in the #epsteinfiles.” Maines also included more hashtags: #democracy, #freespeech and, to cap it off, #fuglyslut.
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The post also included a photo of Trump, as well as photos of people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol.
Back in 2003, The Chicks (then The Dixie Chicks) received backlash after Maines spoke out against President George W. Bush during one of the trio’s concerts in London just prior to the launch of the Iraq War. During that show, Maines said, “We do not want this war, this violence and we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.”
At the time, their single “Travelin’ Soldier” had reached the pinnacle of Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, but two weeks after Maines’ comments, enough radio stations had pulled the record from their rotations that the song was no longer in the top 40 on the Hot Country Songs/Country Airplay chart.
In 2006, The Chicks released the song “Not Ready to Make Nice,” which addressed the political controversy, and issued their album Taking the Long Way, which found support from audiences and Grammy voters, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and winning Grammys for album of the year and best country album, while “Not Ready to Make Nice” earned Grammys for record of the year, song of the year and best country performance by a duo or group with vocals.
In 2020, the trio rebranded as The Chicks and released the song “March, March,” as well as the album Gaslighter. In 2022, they launched The Chicks Tour, with openers including Patty Griffin, Maren Morris, Ben Harper and Elle King.