Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to New Music Friday’s most essential releases each week — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

Last week, we featured Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Shaboozey, Slayyyter and more.

This week: Latin superstar Karol G releases her sixth studio album amid her current stadium tour; rising pop artist Role Model drops his anticipated third album; and British R&B trio FLO shares its second album… plus much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Karol G, No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto

Karol G’s highly-anticipated new album is a complete mood shift from her uplifting and vibrant Tropicoqueta set released in 2025. On the 14-track project, which translates to “I don’t regret feeling so much,” the Colombian singer unlocks a new intimate and stripped-down era where she’s vulnerable, in her feels and embracing all of her emotions. For her sixth studio album, she reeled in notable collaborators including with Drake on “Ahí,” Bruno Mars on “Still,” Judeline and Rusowsky on “Bby Wow” and Greg Gonzalez of Cigarettes After Sex on album closer “Después de Ti.” The set is also home to the provocative perreo “Matadora,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart dated Aug. 8. — JESSICA ROIZ

Role Model, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass

Inspired by the concept of time — particularly, it passing you by as you enter your 30s — Role Model’s latest project is full of musings on marriage (“The Wedding”), the power of a positive attitude (“High Hopes,” “Joy”) and continuing to trust in the process through it all (“Harmony”). The album builds on the harmonies and introspective songwriting that that Role Model honed on his second album, 2024’s Kansas Anymore — and while that album’s deluxe included his breakout smash, “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” he’s not aiming for a follow-up hit here (or, if he is, he’s rather subtle about it). Rather, the album feels like a fully-realized snapshot of where he’s at in life right now, and for anyone about to enter or already in the throes of their third decade here, you’ll be nodding along to more than just the beat of these 12 songs. — LYNDSEY HAVENS

FLO, Therapy at the Club

How do you follow up a Grammy-nominated debut album that solidified your trio as the buzziest R&B girl group in years on both sides of the pond? With an album like Therapy at the Club. FLO’s swanky sophomore effort finds the British three-piece of Renée, Stella and Jorja expanding their late ‘90s-early ‘00s R&B foundation with notes of ‘80s synth pop and features from Juicy J and kwn. There are a few more weeks to live out the ideal messy party night this summer, and FLO just dropped the perfect soundtrack. — KYLE DENIS 

Stray Kids, “This & That”

THIS & THAT is Stray Kids tenth mini album and, as its title suggests, the famed South Korean boy band delivers a little bit of everything across its eight tracks. The title song in particular is a standout for its hard-hitting, booming beat that carries the earned yet boastful lyrics about how “Everything I do, multiply it by two.” That applies to the group’s work ethic as well, with Hyunjin and Bang Chan stating on the chorus: “I’ma rip a show and then hit the studio/ I do this and that, this and that.” Elsewhere, Stray Kids explores dance-pop on “After You,” showcases its softer-side on “Way Out” and delivers a riff-driven alt-pop gem with “Back Then.” Here, a little bit of everything sure sounds good. — L.H.

Sam Smith, “When He’s Gone”

As soaring singer-songwriter Sam Smith continues to tease his upcoming fifth album, Hazel Eyes (out Aug. 21), his latest single offers a glimpse into the direction he’s headed — and it’s perfectly haunting. “When He’s Gone” spotlights Smith’s lower register in a gorgeous and enticing manner, as he sings of the downfall of a relationship — and how it feels to be the one holding on. “When he’s walking out on me/ He takes everything I need/ My whole world’s broken when he’s gone,” he sings over a Western-inspired plucked guitar and the harmony of a cautionary choir willing him to let go. Yet, by the song’s end, it seems he isn’t ready just yet, singing: “If he stays with me tonight, I promise I’ll be better.” — L.H.

Stella Lefty, “Lean In, Kiss Me”

Fresh off a packed performance at Chicago’s Lollapalooza and as her breakout smash “Boston” continues to hold strong on the charts, rising country-pop artist Stella Lefty’s latest is an ode to first kiss butterflies — specifically, the kind that come with taking a friendship to new territory. Or, in Stella’s case here, simply suggesting to. “It’s just another Friday night/ Was bound to happen one of these times,” she sings before asking, “Tell me if I spoke too soon/ But I kinda want you in my room/ Do I make you wanna make a move?” And while the song ends before she gets her answer, for those plugged into her real life relationship with Vincent Mason, it seems like things worked out just fine. — L.H.

Alex Warren, “Rescuer”

As Alex Warren continues to tease his upcoming second album, Wildchild (out Aug. 28), his singles seem to fall into two camps: there’s the high-energy “Fever Dream” and uptempo “Passenger” and then the more contemplative, downtempo “Fine Place To Die” and latest release “Rescuer.” The lattermost sounds and feels like a close cousin to his breakout mega-hit “Ordinary,” with a familiar riff and similar subject matter. Only here, instead of remarking on how his love takes him out of the ordinary, he reckons with wanting to stay in that bliss: “Out of exile, into your hands/ Your arms are my promised land.” – L.H.

Karol G’s sixth studio album, No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, arrived on Friday (Aug. 7). 

On the tracklist revealed Wednesday (Aug. 5), the artist surprised fans with star-studded collaborators Drake on “Ahí,” Bruno Mars on “Still” and Judeline and Rusowsky on “Bby Wow.” The 14-track set is also home to the previously released singles “Después de Ti” with Cigarettes After Sex guitarist Greg Gonzalez and “Matadora,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart on the tally dated Aug. 8, 2026. 

Karol premiered the former during her first headlining weekend at Coachella in April, and the latter during the kickoff of her Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour on July 24 in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

A follow-up to her 2025 Tropicoqueta album that debuted at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums and No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200, No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto (which translates to “I Don’t Regret Feeling So Much”), moves away from the prior vibrant and tropical-leaning album, and demonstrates a more intimate, stripped-down look at the artist born Carolina Giraldo Navarro. 

“In my room, I have a ritual: I put up little lights, I burn candles and incense. I want people to listen to this new album that’s coming, in their own rooms, and see what comes up for them,” she said in an interview with Elle in which she discussed her new album. “I’d rather suffer because I lived too much — because I loved too much, because I had too much fun — than to not have had those experiences, you know? I’m inviting everyone to be a little more dramatic, a little more extra.”

The “Bichota” singer teased a new album was dropping during her concert at Rogers Stadium in Toronto on July 29. “I’ve been working on a project for a couple of months,” she told onlookers. “I’ve been locked in for months making new music. For months, I’ve been preparing a segment that will form part of this tour.”

Stream No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto below:

Stray Kids’ fans are said to be the happiest in the music community. With the release of mini album THIS & THAT, their STAYS should be bouncing off the walls.

The eight-track collection dropped at the stroke of midnight and opens with the anthemic digital single “RUN IT,” written and produced by the group’s in-house production unit 3RACHA (Bang Chan, Changbin, and HAN).

Arriving in June of this year, the song “tells a story of growth from humble beginnings to a journey that expands from ‘Seoul to the world,’” reads a statement from the K-pop act. “It expresses our determination to overcome challenges and limitations and ultimately move forward to victory.”

It’s fair to say, those challenges and limitations have been drop-kicked into touch. And records have been trashed along the path.

All eight of the outfit’s Billboard 200 chart entries have debuted at No. 1, beginning with the mini-album ODDINARY in 2022. In 2024, when HOP debuted atop the list, Stray Kids became the first act to debut at the summit with their first six entries in the 69-year history of the chart. They’ve extended that feat with the chart-topping bows of KARMA and DO IT.

With that streak intact, their trophy cabinet is impressively stacked. Along the way, the singers have collected Top K-Pop Album at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, group of the year at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards and K-pop album of the year at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

And after the release of 2025 mixtape SKZ IT TAPE DO IT, Stray Kids became the artist with the most RIAA Gold album certified K-pop act in history.

Another world tour is underway, one that will will see the lads become the first K-pop act to perform at and headline Rock in Rio Brazil festival next month.

Hold on, there’s more.

The South Korean boy band this year launch STRAYCITY, a series of live performances across Argentina, Colombia and Mexico that comes in addition to Rock in Rio. It’s set to kick off Sept. 9 at the Vive Claro Distrito Cultural in Bogotá and wrap in Mexico City’s renowned Estadio GNP Seguros on Sept. 25.

For Stray Kids’ fanbase, it’s all gravy. According to a study of “happiest” followers, published this week by The Action Network, Stray Kids are said to “radiate the most joy online,” leading the study by a three-point margin, based on 1.5 million-plus comments across 106 music subreddits.

Will THIS & THAT extend the chart streak? Stream it in full below.

Ariana Grande may have missed the opportunity to join American Horror Story this year, but Ryan Murphy isn’t ready to let the idea vanish.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Emmy-winning producer discussed that Grande was originally going to appear in the anthology series’ upcoming 13th season before her Eternal Sunshine Tour made the scheduling impossible. Instead of recasting for the role, Murphy simply said he would rather hold onto the idea until the Grammy-winning pop star might become available.

“I love Ariana Grande. We’re great friends,” Murphy said. “I had an idea and I came to her and she, very immediately, said ‘I’m not sure because I think I’m going on tour.’”

Murphy explained that Grande had just wrapped up her appearance in the blockbluster Wicked films when they first discussed the possibility of her joining AHS. As plans for her worldwide tour came together, the singer realized just how demanding her schedule would be if she agreed. Therefore, she decided that another production schedule wouldn’t be feasible.

“When it came time to do that episode, I called her up and she was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to juggle the tour with this,’” Murphy recalls. “And I said, ‘OK, if you can’t, we can push to another season.’ She said, ‘Great.’ You have to be respectful. Who is busier than Ariana Grande? No one.

Even though Murphy did keep quiet about the character he had envisioned for Grande, he suggested fans shouldn’t rule out seeing her in his horror universe down the line.

“It was a very big swing, but I might bring that back for another season, per Ariana’s availability,” he said. “I think the world of her.”

Grande has worked with Murphy before, appearing in Fox’s horror comedy series Scream Queens back in 2015. The producer said she’s long been a fan of the genre, pointing to both her previous acting work and horror-inspired creative choices throughout her career (most recently, the gory music video for her new album’s title track “Petal”).

“Ariana is a big fan of horror,” Murphy said. “She’s obviously done homages of that in her work; she did Scream Queens for me and loved the experience, and people love her in that show. So I will always work with her. I love her, and I support her.”

As Murphy mentioned, Grande is relentless in all of her endeavors. This past Friday (July 31), she released her highly anticipated album Petal, with the lead single “Hate That I Made You Love Me” marking her 10th Billboard Hot 100 No. 1. She is also in the midst of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which is set to conclude Sept. 1 in London, England. Her rep announced over this past weekend that after the tour wraps, Grande will take a step back from the public eye.

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the rep said in a statement to People. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

SZA is embarking on a trip to the colorful world of CoComelon.

The seven-time Grammy winner is set to voice a character in CoComelon: The Movie, the first feature-length film from the popular children’s franchise. DreamWorks Jr. unveiled the movie’s first teaser trailer on Thursday (Aug. 6), giving audiences a glimpse into the animated adventure ahead of its theatrical release next year, on Feb. 19, 2027.

In addition to SZA’s voice role, the movie will also feature original music from Grammy-nominated songwriter and executive music producer Justin Tranter, who has worked with A-listers including Chappell Roan, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez.

The trailer follows JJ and his friends as they search for his beloved stuffed bear Boba. Their chase takes an unexpected turn when they’re transported through a mysterious lost-and-found box into a magical new world, setting off a fantastical quest to reunite JJ with his favorite companion.

Directed by Kat Good, CoComelon: The Movie is produced by DreamWorks Animation, Moonbug Entertainment, Flywheel Media and Prime Focus Studios, with Universal Pictures handling its theatrical release.

Though voice acting is not SZA’s usual calling, this project will be an interesting addition to her success thus far. The singer has a lot of hits under her belt: Her most recent album, SOS, spent No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 11 weeks and became the first album by a woman to spend more than 100 weeks in the chart’s top 10. The LP also produced the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “Kill Bill” before SZA continued her chart dominance with songs like “Saturn” and “30 for 30” (with Kendrick Lamar) as well as another Hot 100 No. 1, Lamar’s “Luther.”

Watch the teaser trailer below:

After finally squashing things with J. Cole over a lawsuit that stemmed from a verse for an interview exchange that took forever to happen, Cam’ron is now adding unnamed members of Cardi B‘s team to his hit list.

During a recent episode of his REVOLT talk show Talk With Flee, in which he and his co-hosts were recapping the show’s first season, Cam had a segment titled “People Gotta Leave Flee Alone!” where the Harlem rapper-turned-media personality had a message for certain people on Cardi’s team. Apparently, they had reached out to Killa a couple of years ago for a verse and a hook for a remake of his 2000 hit “What Means the World to You,” similar to how the Bronx rapper flipped Jay-Z‘s “Imaginary Players” on her sophomore album Am I the Drama? Cam agreed in exchange for an interview, similar to deal he made with J. Cole that was mentioned earlier.

However, once the album’s track list dropped, he noticed that his feature wasn’t included, so he reached back out to ask for either the interview or to be compensated for his time, but was told that they decided to scrap the remake due to the lukewarm response to her Jigga flip. “I called them and I’m like, ‘Yo, what’s up? What happened? Y’all harassed me for two years about this.’ [They said,] ‘The younger people loved it, but some people didn’t like her flowing on a ‘90s beat on ‘Imaginary Playerz,’ so we tried to stay away from that.’”

Earlier in the segment, he made sure to say that he had no issues with Cardi, and he reiterated that sentiment again by saying he doesn’t blame her, just the people on her team that he was allegedly dealing with. “I’m not putting this on Cardi,” he said. “Cardi might not even know this sh–. I’m just saying, the people around her is making promises on her behalf, and she might not even notice. So you gotta stop making promises on these artists’ behalf, and they don’t know.”

Cam then continued by issuing the team members in question a warning that he would be willing to disclose personal risqué information if he doesn’t get his money or his interview.

“Take this as a warning,” he threatened. “Send that paper through for my time, or I’mma tell how you like to be on all fours, and your ass tickled with — pause — ‘cause I know a girl [who’s] with you. … I’m gonna put your text messages up. … I was disgusted when I seen it. … [But] I was like, ‘Yes God, you sent this to me to get back at these n—as.’ … The next show is your text messages.”

He also suggested that he may air out people with bad business practices each week.

You can watch the full episode of Talk With Flee below.

Major labels are cracking down on an illegal streaming app in Canada.

Sony Music Group and Universal Music Group will begin legal proceedings in Canada against the developers of Musi, a streaming app that sources music from YouTube without the authorization of artists. The app, which has been deemed “parasitic” by the majors, features the same content as YouTube and YouTube Music, but with fewer or no advertisements.

Although it was pulled from Apple’s App Store in 2024 following a slew of copyright claims and infringements, users who previously installed the app can still access it, and the majors are now stepping in to crack down on its activity.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has teamed up with Music Canada, its local national group representing the three majors in Canada, to represent both labels in the action. They claim that Musi is illegally making copyrighted material available to the public and deliberately circumventing technical protections that would normally protect such content on YouTube from theft.

“We are serving notice on parasitic apps, which are designed specifically to exploit artists and their music, and undermine legitimate music services,” says IFPI CEO Victoria Oakley. “Musi and similar illegal services have no place in today’s music ecosystem which is built on the premise of empowering innovation through licensing. This legal action is an important step, and we hope it will be further supported by effective, direct action from the mobile app stores and the music services being directly exploited by these apps.”

The platform has charged users for subscriptions and advertising models, making a profit by circumventing legitimate competition, they argue, and simultaneously depriving artists of certain royalties and income.

“This litigation sends a clear message that services designed to circumvent platform protections and exploit music without authorisation are not legitimate businesses,” says Music Canada CEO Patrick Rogers. “The industry will continue taking coordinated action to protect artists and fans from unlawful exploitation. Our goal is simple: ensure artists are paid when their music is played — and shutting down parasitic apps is one way to achieve that.”

Copyright has been a top priority for the Canadian music business, with major labels and music companies taking action. Earlier this year, Music Canada secured a first-of-its-kind court order from the Federal Court of Canada to block popular YouTube stream-ripping sites like Y2Mate, YTMP3 and Savefrom, which count over 1.7 million monthly users and are known for facilitating illegal music downloads. “I believe artists should be paid when their music is played. To create the best possible environment for that to happen, we have to shut down sites that promote stealing music,” said Rogers of the groundbreaking victory.

Canadians have also tightened the knot on copyright protection in the face of AI, which has been the catalyst for new concerns and cases of infringement, specifically with unlicensed music borrowing from copyrighted music. Music Publishers Canada recently made a landmark intervention in a federal case regarding generative AI and copyright laws, putting forward the idea that only a human can be the author of copyright, and CEO Margaret McGuffin calling it “imperative” that Canadian copyright laws respect creators and encourage human expression in the face of AI.

This story was originally published by Billboard Canada.

Barbra Streisand is adding an additional chapter to her iconic career.

The EGOT-winning legend is expanding her creative repertoire outside music and into children’s literature. Her debut picture book, And By the Way…, will arrive on bookstore shelves next spring, according to People.

The book, which will be published by Flamingo Books (an imprint of Penguin Young Readers), tells the story of a loving grandparent and grandchild who spend the day together doing fun activities and adventures that lead to understanding some of life’s core truths.

For Streisand, this project is very personal, stemming from her home life. “I love being ‘Gamma Barbra’ to my three wonderful young grandchildren,” Streisand shared in a statement. “One of our favorite activities is reading picture books together — sometimes the same ones over and over again! So, I thought it would be fun to write my own book… for them… and hopefully, for other parents and grandparents to read to their little ones!”

The title of the book also has everything to do with Streisand, as it’s one of her signature phrases. “It’s an expression I use quite often,” she explained. “It seems like there’s always one more thing to say!” She added that the overarching message centers on “discovery, self-expression, self-reliance and of course, love.”

Streisand has four grandchildren through her marriage to actor James Brolin, with whom she tied the knot in 1998. Her stepson Josh Brolin has four children — who are the singer’s step-grandchildren. Josh Brolin shares Trevor, 38, and Eden, 31, with his first wife. In 2016, Josh married his third wife, Kathryn Boyd Brolin; together they have daughters Westlyn Reign, 7, and Chapel Grace, 5.

And By the Way… is currently available for preorder and will officially be released on March 30, 2027.

Micah Sykes, the son of celebrated opera and gospel singer Jubilant Sykes, pleaded not guilty to murdering his father during an arraignment at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles on Thursday (Aug. 6).

The younger Sykes, 31, was arrested hours after his father was fatally stabbed at the family’s Santa Monica, Calif., residence on Dec. 8, 2025.

Micah Sykes was charged with a felony count of murder with a special allegation that the defendant used a deadly weapon in the commission of the crime. If convicted, he faces up to a life sentence in state prison.

“Our community continues to mourn the senseless loss of Jubilant Sykes whose renowned baritone and legacy of music brought joy to the world,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement on Thursday. “This horrific act of violence is a painful reminder of how older adults remain vulnerable to violence, even from those closest to them. Our elders deserve to feel safe and the office’s Elder Abuse Section is committed to holding those who harm them fully accountable.”

According to Rolling Stone, prosecutors allege that Micah Sykes murdered his father inside their home using a “dagger, garden shears and a barbell.”

Police responded to a 911 call of an assault around 9:20 p.m. PT on Dec. 8. The Grammy-nominated singer was ruled dead at the scene by Santa Monica Fire Department personnel. He was 71.

Micah Sykes, who is one of Jubilant’s three children, was quickly identified as a suspect in the fatal stabbing. He was taken into custody “without incident,” according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

“I was born and raised in Santa Monica, so we were really pretty close out here. What a singer… Good spirit, good-hearted person, beautiful family,” Jubilant Sykes’ neighbor and friend Sammy Murphy told KTLA at the time of the murder.

Per a press release put out by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office,Micah Sykes will remain behind bars without bail and is slated to be back in court on Sept. 2.

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Pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter is the latest musician to receive her own Little Golden Book.

Sabrina Carpenter: A Little Golden Book Biography is now available to pre-order before its release on Sept. 1, 2026. The biography takes readers on the pop star’s path from a music-loving kid to one of the decade’s biggest talents as told through easy-to-read text and full color illustrations.

Designed for children while appealing to longtime fans, the picture book tells the story of Carpenter’s childhood in Pennsylvania to her eventual rise to fame.

MINI BIOGRAPHY

‘Sabrina Carpenter: A Little Golden Book Biography’

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From publisher Golden Books, the 24-page pageturner has already hit Amazon’s children’s book charts even before its release date.

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Created for readers ages 4 to 8 (though really a fun read for fans of all ages), the picture book details Carpenter’s life as a young girl with big dreams before embarking on a Disney Channel career that would eventually catapult her to pop-star heights.

Illustrator Beverly Johnson sketches colorful drawings of major milestones in Carpenter’s life, like a graphic of the Emails I Can’t Send album cover, the singer looking up at her sold-out arena, and the pint-sized popstar standing on stage during her Grammy acceptance speech.

The book also includes some other famous faces who have made an impression on Carpenter’s musical journey. In one illustration of Carpenter’s mom recording the young star singing, a poster of Miley Cyrus hangs in the background. And who can forget Sabrina Carpenter opening for Taylor Swift on the Eras tour in 2023 and 2024? The book features a drawing of the Espresso singer performing on stage alongside a guitar-playing Swift.

The book is written by Cat Reynolds, who also authored Chappell Roan: A Little Golden Book Biography published in 2025. Carpenter joins many other music icons like Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Prince, Elvis Presley, KPop Demon Hunters, Cher and Blackpink who’ve also been featured in their own dedicated Little Golden Books edition. The publishers also created Women Who Rock, Pop, and Hip-Hop!

Aside from spotlighting musicians, Little Golden Books also has kid-friendly biographies on Zendaya, Jenna Ortega, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams.

As for Carpenter, the singer most recently teamed up with Madonna on the track “Bring Your Love,” from the Queen of Pop’s Confessions II album.