BIGBANG will make, well, a big bang when the K-pop act embarks on a 31-date stadium tour later this year, a worldwide celebration of the group’s 20^th anniversary.

The trek will get underway Friday, Aug. 21 for the first of three shows at Goyang Stadium. Next up, a handful of dates in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, followed by a deep run through Asia and Australia, wrapping up Sunday, Feb. 28 with the second of two nights at Kaohsiung National Stadium.

Announced Thursday, June 11, G-DRAGON, TAEYANG and DAESUNG will reunite for the tour, BIGBANG’s first since 2017, and it comes on the heels of the pop veterans’ return to the stage at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Fans will have to wait for the official tour title and ticketing information, which reps say will be announced at a later date. “The landmark tour represents one of the most significant live music events of 2026 for global fans and a historic new chapter for one of the most influential groups in modern music,” reads a statement issued by promoter AEG Presents.

Launched by YG Entertainment, BIGBANG erupted in August 2006 and broke new ground for the Korean-pop scene by winning the inaugural best worldwide act trophy onstage at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards. The following year, they became the first K-pop group to send an album to the Billboard 200 chart, when 2012’s ALIVE reached No. 150, and flexed their live muscles with two world tours (hitting multiple U.S. arenas in 2012 and 2015).

To date, BIGBANG have five No. 1s on Billboard‘s U.S.-based World Digital Song Sales chart, and even scored their first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Global 200 with the special 2022 reunion single “Still Life” that marked T.O.P’s final release with the group.

V.I.P.s — BIGBANG’s fandom — can sign up for the forthcoming tour via BIGBANG’s official b.stage platform for updates.

BIGBANG 2026-27 Tour Dates:

Aug. 21, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium

Aug. 22, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium

Aug. 23, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium

Sept. 5, 2026 – Oakland, CA – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Sept. 11, 2026 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium

Sept. 19, 2026 – Paris – Stade de France

Sept. 26, 2026 – London – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Oct. 10, 2026 – Taipei – Taipei Dome

Oct. 11, 2026 – Taipei – Taipei Dome

Oct. 17, 2026 – Singapore – National Stadium

Oct. 24, 2026 – Hanoi – Mỹ Đình National Stadium

Oct. 25, 2026 – Hanoi – Mỹ Đình National Stadium

Oct. 31, 2026 – Sydney – Accor Stadium

Nov. 7, 2026 – Bangkok – Rajamangala National Stadium

Nov. 13, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium

Nov. 14, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium

Nov. 15, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium

Nov. 27, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka

Nov. 28, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka

Nov. 29, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka

Dec. 5, 2026 – Nagoya – Vantelin Dome Nagoya

Dec. 6, 2026 – Nagoya – Vantelin Dome Nagoya

Dec. 13, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome

Dec. 14, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome

Dec. 15, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome

Dec. 26, 2026 – Fukuoka – Mizuho PayPay Dome FUKUOKA

Dec. 27, 2026 – Fukuoka – Mizuho PayPay Dome FUKUOKA

Jan. 9, 2027 – Kuala Lumpur – TM Stadium Nasional

Jan. 16, 2027 – Jakarta – Jakarta International Stadium

Feb. 27, 2027 – Kaohsiung – Kaohsiung National Stadium

Feb. 28, 2027 – Kaohsiung – Kaohsiung National Stadium

UPDATE: Wu-Tang Clan sparked the Knicks for a second-half comeback that is etched in the history books, as the home team overturned the biggest deficit in NBA playoffs history. Down at one stage by 29 points, the Knicks recorded a 107-106 win against the traveling Spurs are now one win away from the championship.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Wu-Tang Clan.

The hip-hop heroes stepped onto the hardwood of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night (June 11) for a much-needed special delivery during game 4 of the NBA Finals.

RZA and Co. unleashed a medley of “Bring da Ruckus,” “Method Man” and “C.R.E.A.M.,” a rare moment to savor for the New York faithful who were watching on, crushed, and processing the New York Knicks’ first-half capitulation to the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

New York desperately needed a hip-hop miracle, a Wu-Tang lucky charm. The Knicks franchise, hunting its first NBA title in 53 years, fell behind 76-49 at the break. That scoreline, isn’t just bruising. It’s historic. No visiting team in NBA history has led by so many points at the half of a Finals game. And no other Finals team has hit as many first-half 3s as the Spurs (14).

The rap heavyweights are so invested in the Knicks’ run to the title, they’ve swapped out their social media profile with a “Wu York Knicks” logo. If they were feeling deflated at the break, they weren’t showing it. See below.

Wu-Tang Clan sparking up the Knicks crowd. pic.twitter.com/gcKsTnyPEw

— Edilson J. Silva 🇨🇦🏀🇦🇴 (@edilsonbuzz) June 11, 2026

Earlier, Wu-Tang Clan’s official Instagram appeared to confirm that the group would be performing at the Garden. “Bring Da Hive Knicks in 5,” the Wu captioned a post on its Instagram Story.

And separately, on the new episode of “Wu Wednesdays,” RZA’s SiriusXM show on LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Radio (Ch. 43), the rapper gave a hint of hip-hop action to come. “Those making it out to (MSG) tonight might be in for something special,” RZA teases at the top of the show. “Let’s see what goes on in the building tonight.”

Page Six first reported that the Wu would be heading to MSG as halftime’s entertainment with the NBA Finals returning to the Big Apple for the first time since 1999, which also saw the New York Knicks battling the San Antonio Spurs back then.

Regardless of the result, Wu-Tang Clan has a lot to look forward to. The act will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this December, alongside Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade and Luther Vandross. The group has been eligible for induction since 2018. RZA has called the honor “one of those pillars in life,” noting that his first house he ever bought was in Cleveland and he’s driven by and visited the Rock Hall “hundreds of times” in the years since.

For those keeping score, the Knicks went into game 4 with a 2-1 series lead. The Wu is currently on a break from the crew’s Wu-Tang: The Final Chamber tour. The farewell trek will resume with a North American leg kicking off in August. The crew will be making stops in Atlantic City, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Toronto, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas before hosting a final show on Oct. 4 in Phoenix. The legendary rap group was also inducted into Billboard‘s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in 2025.

This story is part of Billboard’s Global World Cup Series, a collection of 11 cover stories which pairs top soccer stars across the world competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with highly-touted musicians in accompanying countries.

This summer, the World Cup arrives bigger than it has ever been: 48 teams, three host nations, the first edition played across the United States, Canada and Mexico together. South Korea travels to it for the 11th time in a row — a streak that runs unbroken to 1986 and still carries the memory of 2002, when the team reached the semifinals as co-hosts. For a few weeks every four years, an entire nation keeps the same schedule, wears the same color and shouts the same three words at the same instant: “Oh Pilseung Korea.”

A World Cup is a scored event — walkout anthems, stadium singalongs, the chant that turns tens of thousands of strangers into a single voice. Football and pop have been two of Korea’s loudest exports of the century, each carrying the country’s name abroad. And underneath the noise, the two run on the same engine: long, invisible preparation spent on one public moment, judged the second it arrives.

For its FIFA World Cup Edition, Billboard Korea puts two performers in one frame who rarely share it: singer Kwon Eunbi and footballer Heo Yong Joon. The surface logic is obvious — a stage, a pitch, two people who work in front of crowds. The more telling logic is timing: both arrive on the front edge of a new chapter.

Kwon spent the spring changing homes, leaving her label of eight years to sign with RBW, the house of MAMAMOO and ONEWE. She comes in as a soloist who has already shown she can will a song up the charts on her own terms — “Underwater,” the lead single from her 2022 EP Lethality, became a delayed hit roughly eight months after release, reignited by a 2023 Waterbomb set that made her a fixture on the summer festival circuit and earned the “Summer Queen” tag. Heo, the striker fans call “Heonaldo” for the Ronaldo-style celebration that trails his goals, has chased the next finish across nearly a decade in the K League — a 2016 debut at Jeonnam Dragons, a 2017 national-team call-up — and is now eyeing a move abroad.

One works to a beat, the other to a whistle. Both are betting the best of it is still ahead.

This edition brings music and sport into a single frame. How does it feel to be part of it?

Kwon Eunbi: I think music and sports are deeply alike in the way they bring people’s emotions together. The World Cup especially is such a special event — people all over the world cheering together in the same moment. It feels genuinely meaningful and exciting to be part of a project like this.

What does the World Cup bring back for you?

Kwon: For me, the World Cup brings back memories of the whole family gathering in front of the TV to cheer together. When I was little, I remember watching the matches with my family in a Red Devils T-shirt — and I can still vividly picture the way everyone erupted at once the moment Korea scored.

And for you — when did you first start dreaming of becoming a footballer?

Heo Yong Joon: I think I first started dreaming of becoming a footballer around the third grade. From then on, my goal was to play for the national team. The period when I felt I grew the most as a player was during my elementary school years, too. I met wonderful coaches when I was young and learned so much from them, and those experiences are the biggest reason I’ve been able to keep going as a player all this time. That’s why I believe the youth years are so important.

Fans also call you “Heonaldo.” Were there players you looked up to, or who shaped how you play?

Heo: I think the nickname “Heonaldo” came from my goal celebration. Of course, it would’ve been even better if it came from my playing style or skill. (Laughs.) I like Neymar of Brazil and Cristiano Ronaldo.

What do fans mean to you as a player?

Heo: I think fans are the greatest source of strength inside a stadium. When I hear the roar of the crowd and their voices cheering me on, it really gives me so much power on the field. I turned pro in 2016, and there are fans who’ve supported me without fail ever since. Just knowing they’ve stayed by me so steadily, for so long, makes me truly grateful.

And on stage — when did you feel that love most strongly?

Kwon: I think I felt it most at summer festivals and college events. It made me so happy when the audience sang along to my songs and threw themselves into the performance from start to finish. In moments like that, it really hits me: “Wow, I’m truly being given so much love.”

Stepping out as a soloist means carrying the whole stage on your own. What changed most for you?

Kwon: I think the biggest difference is the sense of responsibility. In a group, there were so many moments when we could lean on one another. Onstage, just catching a member’s eye gave me strength, and we could share our energy back and forth. As a solo artist, I have to carry the stage on my own, so at first there was real pressure. But because of that, I think I’ve been able to express my own voice and emotions more deeply.

On the field you read as full of confidence. What do you see as your greatest strength?

Heo: I love the phrase “always with confidence,” and I think that naturally comes through on the field. At the same time, I always remind myself not to let confidence tip over into arrogance.

A single play can change a match. How do you handle the pressure of those moments?

Heo: I once read an interview with a player who said you should enjoy the pressure and the tension, and I remember relating to that so strongly. So I try to enjoy those situations as much as I can, too. It isn’t easy, of course, but I keep working toward that mindset.

Watching footballers, what do you respect most?

Kwon: I think it’s amazing how they hold their focus right to the end under that kind of intense pressure. When I’m onstage, there are moments when my concentration wavers for a second, and each time I have to work to pull it back. But footballers are out there for a long stretch, and it must be so physically demanding — so for them to sustain that focus is genuinely impressive. Especially in the big matches, I really sense how much mental strength must matter.

Do you play any sports yourself?

Kwon: I usually enjoy exercises that work on balance, like Pilates or running. I’ve been performing on stage for a long time, so taking care of my stamina is really important. I also keep up activities like hiking and weight training to build my strength.

And your own routine for staying in condition?

Kwon: I put the most importance on sleep and meals. No matter how busy I get, I try to keep my sleep rhythm as steady as I can, and I think eating well is really important too. When things get hectic it’s easy to skip meals, so whenever I can, I make a point of eating properly.

Up close, what do you think the two fields share?

Kwon: I really do think there’s a lot in common. A performance or a match itself is over in a brief moment, but you practice and prepare for such a long time for it. That part feels very similar to me. And the audience or the fans feel the emotion of that moment directly — so in the end, I think music and sports share a similar power to move people’s hearts.

From your side, what impresses you most about musicians?

Heo: I think the patience it takes to carry a fleeting spark of inspiration all the way through to a finished piece is incredible. We only ever hear the completed song — maybe three minutes long — but behind it are countless revisions, recordings and long hours of creation. That doggedness it takes to turn an abstract melody in your head into real music is something I find truly impressive.

And what do you think the power of music is?

Kwon: I think the greatest power of music is that it can carry emotion even when people don’t share a language. A song can bring you comfort without your trying, or fill you with energy instead. That’s something special that only music can do.

What are you listening to before a match?

Heo: I really love listening to music in general. I tend to listen to a lot of ballads and hip-hop — I think I play a lot of Ash Island and Kid Wine. For ballads, I lean toward older songs.

And your routine to get into game mode?

Heo: Before a match I always do visualization. I also make sure to hydrate and stretch, and I try to listen to upbeat music to loosen up my body and lift my mood a little.

What about you, before you go onstage?

Kwon: Usually I listen to my own songs the most. I use that time to rehearse and picture the kind of stage I want to put on, so I tend to play through the setlist. After that, the music I reach for shifts a little depending on the mood of the day.

If you could pick just one song as your stadium entrance music?

Kwon: From my own songs, I’d pick “Underwater.” It has this quality that takes over the room from the very first note, with an energy that gradually pulls you in — so I think it would work well as entrance music in a stadium.

And which of your own songs would best suit a World Cup stadium?

Kwon: I think “Hello Stranger” would fit well. The song has such intense energy and momentum that I think it would match the fever-pitch atmosphere of a stadium.

Behind the highlights are long hours of repetition. What keeps you going through them?

Heo: I think the biggest thing is not wanting to let down the fans who come out to the stadium. They spend their time and money to come watch us, so I always find myself working to show them a better version of myself. I also push through and overcome the hard moments for my own growth as a player. In the end, I believe all sports exist because of the fans, and that’s one of my greatest sources of motivation.

And what does it mean to take the field for your country?

Heo: Taking the field for your country comes with enormous pride and responsibility. There’s pressure, of course, but I think you have to play with a pride that’s even greater than that. So many people are cheering for us, and I draw a lot of strength from that. I always try to give my all with the mindset that I’m playing for the team and the country, not just for myself — and after that, I try to leave the result up to fate.

What are you focused on next?

Kwon: I always want to show people something new, so I’m constantly mulling over different musical directions to try. I can’t go into detail yet, but I’m hard at work on new projects I think my fans will love.

What do you hope fans take from this edition?

Kwon: Just like the passion and excitement the World Cup brings, I hope this photo shoot and interview carry that same positive, high-energy feeling to everyone.

From a Hollywood film premiere straight to Game 4 of the NBA Finals in New York City the next night, Taylor Swift is on a coast-to-coast adventure.

Swift was spotted courtside with two of the three Haim sisters — Alana and Este — at Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden to cheer on the Knicks, who lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4. How do we know that the trio is rooting for the Knicks? Based on their hilarious homemade shirts.

Each of the shirts is a Knicks-based pun on a celebrity name, with Swift’s shirt reading “Stevie Knicks,” Alana Haim’s shirt saying “Knickleback,” and Este’s shirt reading “Knickole Kidman.”

Taylor Swift came to watch the NBA Finals 🔥

Knicks-Spurs at 8:30 ET on ABC 🍿 pic.twitter.com/QOhaEDxUM0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 11, 2026

Swift previously attended an NBA Eastern Conference Finals game between the Knicks and the Cavaliers last month with her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, who is a lifelong Cleveland fan. But Swift has historically cheered for the New York squad after her time living in NYC.

The pop superstar is in town to attend the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction & Awards ceremony on Thursday night, when Swift will be inducted into the hall after previously winning the Hal David Spotlight Award in 2010.

On Tuesday night, she was in Los Angeles to attend the Toy Story 5 world premiere and surprise-perform “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her song for the Disney Pixar film. She also joined forces with Toy Story music maestro Randy Newman to duet on “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”

The Wu-Tang Clan is set to perform at halftime of Game 4, following a halftime set from Cardi B during Monday’s Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Primary Wave Music has partnered with the estate of Donna Summer, the company announced on Wednesday (June 10). The deal will see Primary Wave work alongside Summer’s estate to expand the reach of her song catalog and recordings. It also includes her name, image and likeness (NIL) rights.

Through the agreement, Primary Wave will work closely with the estate on new marketing, branding digital and sync opportunities, along with film and TV projects. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

According to a press release, Summer, a primary force in bringing disco to the mainstream, has sold more than 100 million albums globally. Her catalog includes 17 studio albums, three of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. That includes 1978’s Bad Girls, which spent six weeks atop the tally. She also enjoyed four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “MacArthur Park” and “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough).” A total of 14 of her songs hit the Hot 100’s top 10.

Other hits in Summer’s catalog include “I Feel Love,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” “On the Radio” and “Love to Love You Baby.” Notably, Beyoncé recently sampled “I Feel Love” on “Summer Renaissance,” a track off her 2022 album Renaissance.

Over the course of her career, Summer was nominated for 18 Grammys and won five, including best female R&B vocal performance for “Last Dance,” best female rock vocal performance for “Hot Stuff” and best dance recording for “Carry On” with Giogio Moroder. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025.

Summer died in 2012 at age 63.

UPDATE (June 10): AMC Theatres announced that the Arena One screenings originally scheduled for June have been postponed to later this year.

“Week after week in 2026, the domestic box office performance has exceeded or met expectations,” said a statement from AMC Theatres sent to Billboard. “With a robust lineup of films and strong advance ticket sales in the weeks ahead, AMC is making some programming adjustments during the month of June.

“As part of those adjustments, the previously announced Arena One at AMC Girls Night Live concert series featuring Maren Morris, Paris Hilton, Kim Petras, and Bebe Rexha will move to later in 2026. Tickets purchased for the originally scheduled events have been automatically refunded.

“AMC is very excited about its partnership with Arena One, and we look forward to announcing updated dates and additional artists in the weeks and months ahead.”

PREVIOUSLY:

Your favorite performer is coming to a movie cinema near you.  

Bebe Rexha, Paris Hilton, Maren Morris and Kim Petras are among the first wave of artists participating in new, interactive concert experience that will beam the show into hundreds of theaters across the United States.

Arena One, the new live entertainment company, and AMC Theatres, the giant theatrical exhibitor, join forces for Arena One at AMC, a real-time, interactive concert format that will be pumped into 300 AMC locations in 89 markets from June.

The concerts are an upgrade from the cinecast experience that found traction with some a-list artists and their fans in the late 2000s, when a slew of live concerts and exclusive events were fed into participating cinemas.

Through this new concept, announced this week, the artist will perform on Arena One’s purpose-built stage, while “seeing and responding to fans at AMC locations through innovative interactive technology,” reads a statement from organizers.

The advantages are obvious. For the artist, the initiative enables them to reach more fans, in more places, without hitting the road. And for those fans who can’t physical get to see their hero, due to cost, distance or other reasons, they now have a virtual front-row seat.

“The next chapter of live shows isn’t about proximity to big venues, it’s about creating visceral, intimate, affordable live connection between artists and fans no matter where they are,” explains Rohit Kapoor, founder and chief creative officer of Arena One. “Arena One gives artists a new cinema-native canvas to create live performances, while amplifying the raw energy and shared fandom that makes live shows unforgettable.”

First up, Bebe Rexha will perform an Arena One at AMC concert June 17, followed by Paris Hilton (June 18), Kim Petras (June 19) and Maren Morris (June 20).

Ticketholders will soak up an atmosphere that’s “designed to feel immediate and electric, featuring powerful sound, massive screens,” comfortable seats, and more, reads a statement.

“We consider this to be a major announcement,” explains Adam Aron, chairman and CEO of AMC Entertainment, and an “innovative step forward” for the business.

Additional artists and dates will be announced in the coming weeks, with ticket prices varying by market.

“We built a cinematic stage optimized to translate seamlessly to cinemas, but artists are defining what it becomes,” adds Peter Hamilton, CEO of Arena One. “They’re not adapting tours; they’re building something new. That’s when a medium sparks reinvention.”

Showtimes are available on AMCTheatres.com, the AMC Mobile App, and at arenaonelive.com/shows.

Shakira and Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai” has been named the best World Cup song of all time by Billboard readers. 

In a poll published by Billboard on June 1, we asked our readers to vote for the best soccer anthem. The list included the 10 official songs released by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since 1990 to today, from the first official song, “Un’estate italiana (To Be Number One),” performed by Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini for the 1990 games in Italy to the most recent “Dai Dai” for the 2026 match.  

The latter ultimately won the poll with more than 31 percent of the vote. Shakira’s own “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” which she recorded with Freshlyground for the 2010 World Cup, came in a very close second with more than 26 percent of the vote. 

In May, Shak and Burna joined forces for this year’s official FIFA World Cup song, blending Afrobeats, dance-pop, world beats and reggaetón, and sending an uplifting message that’s true to the spirit of the sport. They even shout out some of the legends of the sport, including Maradona, Maldini, Romário, Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, Kaká and Messi. 

Moreover, Ricky Martin’s “Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida)” recorded for the 1998 World Cup tournament in France ended up in third place with almost 25 percent of the vote. The euphoric and timeless bop ultimately became a defining moment in the Puerto Rican artist’s career with the song peaking at No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning a Grammy for best Latin pop performance.

Other fan favorites included “Ole Ola (We Are One)” by Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Claudia Leitte as well as “The Time of Our Lives” by Il Divo and Tony Braxton. 

See the full poll results below:

CeeLo knows who he wants to go up against in a VERZUZ battle, and his pick makes sense when you truly consider it.

He recently sat down with Rickey Smiley and was asked who he would go against if he ever participated in the popular music matchup series. “I would probably had to go up against Lauryn Hill,” he answered while acknowledging their mutual respect and ability to both sing and rap. “But she’s like my sister, and we were all together at the Kanye show, too. So, shouts out to the queen Ms. Hill.”

He added: “But it would just be nothing but a love affair because we did our first tours together. We’ve been friends for years, and she’s a Gemini twin just like me. So that’s my twin sister — but she does rap and sing at the same time, you know? I think I would have to be paired up with somebody who has somewhat of the same dynamic.”

Prior to his answer about a solo VERZUZ, he suggested that his Dungeon Family collective featuring the likes of Organized Noize, OutKast, Goodie Mob, Future and others would likely have to go up against another large collective like the crew out of Staten Island. “Wu-Tang came up because they’re a large collective,” he said before admitting that they might have them beat in terms of straight up bars. “But just straight ahead rap? I think they’re better. And not even to compare, I’m just a fan of theirs, right? But Dungeon Family is just unique in a way where we did it all. I do think that we might be the most critical and commercially acclaimed large collective that hip-hop has given birth to. Ain’t nobody, ain’t nothing like the Dungeon Family.”

You can watch the full conversation below.

Despite releasing her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl in 2025, the last time Taylor Swift mounted a proper performance was way back in December 2024, during her final stop on The Eras Tour. But on Tuesday night, Swift was back behind a piano to live-debut “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her just-released song from Toy Story 5, at the Disney Pixar film’s world premiere, and we were among the lucky few inside Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre for the surprise set.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie tells Keith all about what it was like inside the room when Swift popped onstage for her own solo performance as well as a special duet with Toy Story musical mastermind Randy Newman for “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Hear all about it — no movie spoilers, we promise! — below:

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me” debuts atop the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, while Paul McCartney notches his latest top 10 album on the Billboard 200 with The Boys of Dungeon Lane. Plus, Katie & Keith chat about two other big pop stories this week: P!nk wowing the Broadway world as the host of the 2026 Tony Awards on Sunday and Madonna bringing her Confessions II — The Film premiere to Tribeca late last week.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

You want it to be one way, but it’s the other way.

That’s one of the several Marlo Stanfield lines Jay-Z referenced during his viral “Roots Picnic Freestyle” from the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire. Jamie Hector, who played the ice cold villain, recently stopped by Way Up with Angela Yee and spoke on how he found out about being mentioned by Jigga during such a monumental moment.

“I was grateful. It was a great feeling,” he said. “You know, Jay is the head honcho, right? He gets it done. And he was gone for a minute and then when he decides to reappear and get onstage, he starts talking about the work that was created — ’cause it was art that was created, right? And it’s placed onscreen. Coming from an artist paying homage, and showing love and respect to it, and who it’s coming from, as well. It felt great. And not to mention, my phone started blowing up. I’m talking about coming from everybody. And I was like, “What’s going on?”

He was then asked by Angela’s co-host B-Dot his thoughts on the character he helped make famous becoming a favorite reference for rappers in general, and Hector showed nothing but appreciation for being acknowledged by other artists for his work. “I mean, I appreciate it because the work was done,” he replied. “It’s a collaboration. They’re talking about the character and everything like that, but the character wouldn’t exist without the entire show, without the writing, without the director, without the producers, without everybody putting everything together. Developing that character was fun, it was work, and hopefully it’s timeless. And what do I feel about them mentioning it? I feel good, keep it alive.”

Yee then asked if his kids were aware of his chilling turn as a cold-blooded drug dealer, and he said that his 16-year-old daughter is watching the series for the first time and actually just started the third season while his nine-year-old son has just seen clips online. “My daughter is watching it now and my son, he catches clips and he just be like, ‘You evil.’”

You can watch the full episode below.