The U.K.’s grassroots music scene has received a major boost as it is set to receive a crucial tax cut from April 2027.

On Thursday (July 23) Andy Burnham, the U.K.’s new prime minister, announced a 20% cut on business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues.

Writing on his X account, Burnham said, “I won’t stand by while these cherished local spaces disappear, replaced by boarded-up windows and ‘For Sale’ signs. They’re the heart of our communities and it’s time we backed them.”

Business rates are charged on most non-domestic properties such as shops, offices, pubs and holiday rental homes. The final sum varies depending on the property’s location and the property estimated market rental value. No. 10 Downing Street, the PM’s office, estimates that the rate cut could save each venue in the region of £1,000 each. The cut will be funded, No. 10 says, by reviewing reliefs for businesses that “do not make a positive contribution to local communities, such as vape shops” (via BBC).

The news has been welcomed by industry stakeholders at a time of peril for grassroots music venues across the U.K. In January, the Music Venue Trust reported that 53% of all grassroots music venues were unable to turn a profit in 2025, and that over 6,000 jobs were lost in the sector, a 19% contraction in the overall workforce.

A number of big names including Harry Styles, Coldplay, Sam Fender and more have all shown support for the scene by voluntarily pledging a portion of ticket proceeds (£1 for every ticket sold) to supporting these spaces. The Labour government has discussed a mandatory ticket levy on arena or stadium shows to help support these spaces.

Burnham assumed the role of prime minister on Monday (July 20) following the resignation of his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer. Burnham most recently held the role of mayor of Greater Manchester and played a key role in bringing the 2026 BRIT Awards to the city, the first time the ceremony had been held outside of London.

Speaking on the announcement, the MVT’s CEO Mark Davyd said, “MVT warmly welcomes this announcement from the government, and its recognition that grassroots music venues are essential to our local communities. The 20% additional reduction on business rates from April 2027 is an encouraging first step in a range of opportunities available to Andy Burnham’s new team to not just protect and secure live music, but begin to restore its central role at the heart of our towns and cities.”

He added, “There remain some issues of implementation of previous reliefs, and we will work with colleagues in government to ensure that all grassroots music venues in England are recognised and eligible. We call on Senedd, Holyrood, and the Northern Ireland Assembly to swiftly confirm they will match this much needed support through Barnett formula consequentials. Venues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must be confident of a level playing field of economic conditions for touring across the UK. Live music is an ecosystem, and we strongly urge the government to reconsider the limit to the eligibility criteria so that all live music spaces of all sizes qualify, supporting jobs, local economies and communities to access live music.”

After welcoming the move, Tom Kiehl, the CEO of trade body U.K. Music also pushed the government to go further with the rate cut. “The Government must extend this lifeline to our world-class recording studios. We have lost — and continue to lose — far too many of these spaces, without which our industry simply wouldn’t exist. As a lifelong music fan, the Prime Minister knows full well how essential these spaces are, not only for the future prosperity of our industry, but for communities the length and breadth of the country. We urge him to include studios in this policy and offer them the protection they so urgently need and deserve.”

Speaking on BBC 5 Live this morning, celebrity chef, publican and campaigner Tom Kerridge said that the move “doesn’t go far enough but it does show that there is an understanding that hospitality needs a hand, especially smaller venues. It will come as welcome news,” he continues. “But £1,000 on a yearly revenue doesn’t really make a difference. It shows the government is beginning to listen and has an understanding that hospitality is at the core and heart of so many communities.”

Haters, look away now. The Black Eyed Peas “My Humps” is officially a stone-cold hit.

The 2005 track this week enters YouTube’s Billion Views Club as it passes one billion streams.

Lifted from the hip-hop act’s fourth studio album Monkey Business, “My Humps” is their third music video to reach the milestone after “Where Is the Love?” and “RITMO,” their collaboration with J Balvin for the Bad Boys for Life soundtrack.

The track was written by the act’s will.i.am and samples lines from Sexual Harassment’s 1983 single, “I Need a Freak,” penned by Lynn Tolliver (real name: David Payton).

Its intended target was initially meant to be the Pussycat Dolls, but the Black Eyed Peas made it their own, with Fergie and will.i.am as the main vocalists.

“My Humps” was the group’s second single to reach the top three on the Billboard Hot 100, after “Don’t Phunk with My Heart” (both peaked at No. 3), and nabbed a Grammy Award for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals.

Although a massive commercial success, “My Humps” was as polarizing as it was popular. Its lyrics, which include the repeated line, “my lovely lady lumps,” was the subject of countless column inches, many of them harsh. In one analysis published by Slate under the title “Notes on ‘Humps’. A song so awful it hurts the mind,” Hua Hsu writes, “This is what makes ‘My Humps’ such an inscrutable pop moment. It’s not Awesomely Bad; it’s Horrifically Bad.” Other journalist were less kind.

Whatever, “My Humps” was a winner.

Its music video, directed by Fatima Robinson and Malik Hassan Sayeed, and featuring Fergie dancing with backup dancers amongst the luxury items apparently gifted by her many suitors, went on to scoop best hip-hop video at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

In May of this year, the Black Eyed Peas reunited publicly onstage for the first time since Fergie split in 2018, for a surprise appearance at the American Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena while accepting the best throwback song award for “Rock That Body.”

Watch the music video for The Black Eyed Peas “My Humps” below.

With a new album out on Friday (July 24), it’s like that most wonderful time of year for Shania Twain.

Little Miss Twain (via Republic Nashville) is the Canadian country-pop superstar’s seventh studio album, and the followup to 2023’s Queen of Me, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

“The anticipation is really high and I’m feeling a little bit like Christmas morning is coming up,” she told Jimmy Fallon during a visit to NBC’s The Tonight Show, which aired Wednesday (July 22). “It’s such a long, big effort. I write, you know, my own music and everything. So by the time it is ready… it’s a gift to be able to know what people think about it. That’s the gift and the reward for me.”

That present is wrapped with vulnerable, intimate details of Twain’s early years, some of which she shared for her late-night spot. An eight-year-old Shania, then Eilleen Regina Twain, cut her teeth as a performer in “smoky small bars,” filled with “mostly men, mostly intoxicated,” she explains. “I was definitely the only child performing.” It was in those dingy venues where she earned her nickname, and gave her the title for this album; in those days, she would be introduced with, “Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Little Miss Twain.”

The title track is primarily about her mom and the roles she played in Shania’s early career, from manager, to agent, driver, and everything else. Her parents weren’t able to witness Shania’s global success story, her transformation from Little Miss Twain to the best-selling female country artist of them all. They died in a car accident when she was 22.

The Canadian singer and songwriter also confirmed the rumors of a musical and biopic. “It’s all real, it’s all happening. A lot of these things have been in the works for a while,” she admits. There’s no shortage of tales to tell, including the run of three straight albums that were certified diamond by the RIAA, beginning with 1995’s The Woman In Me; the five Grammy Awards’ the 100 million-plus album sales; her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and the downs, including that fatal crash; her battle with Lyme disease; and multiple surgeries, including “very intensive” open-throat operations which took its toll on her vocals and her mental health.

It’s now all rosy, and busy, for Twain. She opened for Harry Styles during his 12-show Wembley Stadium run in London earlier this summer, having made a surprise guest appearance during his headlining set at Coachella 2022. With that record-setting residency, Twain missed the wedding of the year, the nuptials of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Shania will give TayTay a big hug when they next meet. Before that happens, Twain showered the pop superstar with praise for her songwriting. “She’s a fabulous performer. I think if you wrote a song for her it would be a hit, no matter what,” she enthused. “But she does write her own songs. She sits down at home, plays the piano, plays the guitar. So, I admire her musicianship and her commitment to telling her stories. So I love her. I love everything about her.”

Watch the Tonight Show interview below.

Twain also played a round of “Box of Lies” with Fallon, and performed album cut “Dirty Rosie,” a song whose lyrics reach deep into her youth. She learned to drive at age 10, out of necessity in a family that lived and worked in the woods. “We never could afford new vehicles when I was a kid,” she recounts, “and now if I had a choice of having a faded old red work truck,” like the one she used to ride, “her name would be Dirty Rosie.”

Watch below and read Billboard’s interview with Twain here.

Budjerah is a fair dinkum Australian triple-threat: a young man with the voice of an angel, the patience of a saint, and the style of a gentleman.

Hailing from Fingal Head, a popular surf spot in northern New South Wales, Budjerah (full name: Budjerah Julum Slabb) is one of the most promising artists of his generation, boasting a trophy cabinet stacked with ARIA and APRA Awards, and bragging rights. Among them, a collaboration with Ed Sheeran on “2step,” and a spot on the Englishman’s 2023 stadium tour of these parts.

What he doesn’t have in his resume is a full-length album. That all changes on Friday, July 24 with the release of Gentleman. Led by the singles “Even At Worst”, “Could I Be”, “Want You Back” and the title track, the 11-track collection is his debut full-length LP through a deal with Warner Music Australia, partnering with Warner Records in the United States.

Almost five years have passed since he collected best newcomer honors at the 2021 ARIA Awards, becoming the first winner of an award renamed after the late impresario Michael Gudinski, presented during a lockdown edition of the industry ceremony. At the time, he was already part of the WMA stable.

“Yeah, it did take a long time. There were definitely moments where I was like, ‘oh, oh, come on,’” Budjerah says of the lost-gestating project. “I think it all turned out how it was supposed to.”

Budjerah is the gentleman of the project. The 24-year-old artist is softly spoken, and dapper in a grey suit, for his interview with Billboard at Warner Music Australia’s offices in Sydney. “I like to dress up, so I thought it would be fun,” he says of the album’s title and artwork. Ahead of the release, his team secured another essential piece for his wardrobe by striking an alliance with Akubra, the iconic Australian hat-maker which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary (Budjerah wears a Slim Dusty design, a nod to the late, great country artist, for a new campaign.)

The proud Coodjinburra man was raised singing gospel music in the church band. He counts Michael Jackson, Usher, Beyonce and, more recently, Puerto Rican artist Rauw Alejandro among his sources of inspiration, but points to Stevie Wonder and gospel music as “the foundation of my technique and my musical understanding.”

Gentleman is the work of a perfectionist, getting at it with studio-sharpened pros. Produced by Om’Mas Keith (Frank Ocean, Jay-Z), the collection also features the songwriting talents of Diane Warren on album closer “Even At My Worst,” and songwriters Autumn Rowe (Alexis Jordan, Kylie Minogue), Kizzo Keaz (Jon Batiste, Ne-Yo), and Philip Lawrence (Bruno Mars).

The result, a collection of up-tempo, performance-ready works with a nostalgic flavor.

“I learned a lot,” Budjerah says of his time with Keith, and the late-night sessions that sort the real talent from the rest. “I really enjoy having a producer or collaborators that are way better than me so I can learn.” The Australian more-than kept up. Keith “held me to a standard of, like, a lot of older singers,” he admits.

Much has happened since the Gentleman project began simmering almost four years ago. Budjerah kept his growing fanbase connected and ready with a string of singles and EPs, and tours. Ands he recently got married to his high school sweetheart, Sophie. Australian Vogue shared the official photos.

He’s all grown up. A Gentleman.

The album is “inspired by who I wanted to be when I was growing up,” he explains in a statement. “Between my life at home and life on the road, I experienced so much change and growth. Chasing my dreams I faced new challenges which helped me understand who I wanted to be. Every song on this album holds a piece of me. I hope little Budjerah is proud.”

He’ll support the record in his homeland with a five-date national tour this October and November, a new-look production with high-energy dancers and a slick, full band featuring several members of his extended family. Before that, three acoustic performances and album signings in the final days of July.

In time, Budjerah hopes to bring his new music to audiences in North America. “I guess time will tell,” he says. Patience, as we know, is part of his skillset.

Almost 40 years after its release, Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love” has finally been granted entry to YouTube’s Billion Views Club.

The official music video crosses the threshold this week, and is the Swedish pop duo’s first to do so. Originally issued in 1987, “It Must Have Been Love” features clips from the romcom Pretty Woman, after a version of the song appeared on its official soundtrack and was heard in a pivotal emotional moment near the end of the movie.

When Pretty Woman opened in cinemas in 1990, movie-goers fans fell hard for Roxette’s power ballad, and for late singer Marie Fredriksson’s powerhouse vocals. It’s a transcendent performance from Fredriksson, one that that strikes the perfect balance of melodrama and restraint.

In the United States, the single logged two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1990, and logged 25 weeks on the chart. It’s one of four Roxette leaders in the United States, and the only cut to land multiple weeks at No. 1. Across the Atlantic, the single peaked at No. 3 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, and stayed in the frame for 14 weeks.

During her lifetime, Fredriksson enjoyed 12 appearances on the Hot 100 with Roxette, and three titles on the Billboard 200. Fredriksson was diagnosed with a severe brain tumor in 2002, and received aggressive treatment that took its toll, reportedly leaving her nearly blind in one eye and with limited hearing. She returned to the stage for a Roxette comeback tour in 2009, but called time on live performances in 2016, on doctors’ advice. The talented artist died in 2019 following a 17-year long battle with cancer.

Roxette is currently touring Europe for the Live – Back Again! 2026 tour, celebrating the 40th anniversary of their debut album, with a lineup featuring founder and main songwriter Per Gessle and Swedish star Lena Philipsson taking on female lead vocals.

Watch the official music video for “It Must Have Been Love” below.

Kacey Musgraves is cranking up the heat this summer. On Wednesday (July 22), the eight-time Grammy winner released the official music video for “Mexico Honey,” a sensual visual that finds the country star embracing romance under the sweltering Mexico sun.

Directed by Running Bear (Alexa Stone and Stephen Kinihopoulos), the video was filmed in Mexico and follows Musgraves and her onscreen lover through a sublime getaway. We begin by seeing her “lining [her] lips in the rearview,” sitting in the front seat of a car. Shortly thereafter, we are in the middle of what appears to be a karaoke bar with Musgraves singing the song onstage in her hot pink shorts.

We then see the country singer share intimate moments with her love interest throughout the video: they’re cozied up in bed, laughing together in the bathroom, and stealing hugs and yearnful glances. They hold hands as they stroll through the desert on foot and by car. Right before the second chorus, the video cuts to a playful shot of Musgraves holding a colorful parrot.

According to a press release, the visual is “just as much a tribute to the captivating beauty of Mexico as it is the passion and experiences that have inspired her there.”

“Mexico Honey” appears on Musgraves’ sixth studio album, Middle of Nowhere, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 following its May release. The LP was led by the witty single “Dry Spell.”

Watch the “Mexico Honey” music video below.

A staffer at Interscope Capitol Labels Group testified in court on Wednesday (July 22) that D4vd made more than $7 million from his record deal before he was accused of murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Wednesday was the second day of a preliminary hearing for the 21-year-old “Romantic Homicide” singer (David Anthony Burke), who’s charged with stabbing and dismembering 14-year-old Rivas in April 2025 to cover up their illegal sexual relationship. The Los Angeles County District Attorney is presenting evidence for a judge to decide whether there’s sufficient basis to move the case forward toward trial.

Prosecutors say D4vd’s motive was his lucrative music career; the theory is that Rivas threatened to expose their relationship just days before the release of D4vd’s debut album Withered, and he killed her to prevent the teen from going public. To that end, the prosecution sought Wednesday to establish just how much money D4vd stood to lose if his career went south.

On Wednesday, a finance executive at Interscope Capitol, which signed D4vd to Interscope/Darkroom after “Romantic Homicide” went viral on TikTok in 2022, took the witness stand. According to CBS News, the executive said the label group paid D4vd more than $7.5 million over the course of his record deal. Interscope/Darkroom dropped D4vd in December 2025, soon after Rivas’ body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to the singer.

The judge also heard Wednesday from D4vd’s former financial point person at his management firm Mogul Vision. According to Rolling Stone, this witness estimated that D4vd generated gross earnings between $10 million and $11.5 million during his career from recording, publishing and merch.

The preliminary hearing began Tuesday (July 21) and is set to run for several more days. Much of the testimony so far has been from investigating officers, who’ve presented evidence showing D4vd was the last driver behind the wheel of his Tesla and that he ordered three chain saws in the aftermath of Rivas’ death. Another witness said Rivas’ passport was found on the side of a highway in Santa Barbara, Calif., in January.

In September, officers discovered Rivas’ dismembered and decomposed body after the abandoned Tesla was brought to a Hollywood tow lot. D4vd was charged in April with first-degree murder, child sexual abuse and mutilating a body. Prosecutors allege D4vd and Rivas had a sexual relationship beginning when she was 13 and he was 18, and that he called an Uber to bring the teen to his house the night of the alleged murder.

D4vd has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his attorneys have said they will “vigorously defend” him in court. “Let us be clear,” said the singer’s defense lawyers in a statement following his arrest, “the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.”

At the end of the preliminary hearing, a judge will decide whether prosecutors have met the “probable cause” burden to move the case forward. This is a lower standard than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which would be required for a jury to actually convict D4vd if the charges do eventually go to trial.