Nobody puts Leon Thomas on a leash!

The Grammy-winning R&B sensation, who’s signed to Ty Dolla $ign and Shawn Barron’s Motown-housed EZMNY imprint, accepted the Vanguard Award at the 2026 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards on Thursday (June 25), just a few days before he’ll grace the red carpet at the 2026 BET Awards on Sunday (June 28).

Sporting a snazzy gray-green suit and black-out shades, Thomas humbly accepted the Vanguard Award as his songwriting peers looked on. Grammy and Oscar winner Paul Williams led the presentation, with some assistance from ASCAP executive vice president & head of creative membership Nicole George-Middleton. EZMNY co-founder Ty Dolla $ign closed out the presentation via a video message recorded from Paris Fashion Week. Previous ASCAP Vanguard Award recipients include Victoria Monét, Migos, Janelle Monáe, Beastie Boys and more.

“Leon is a once-in-a-lifetime, generational talent who inspires everyone around him, including me,” said Ty Dolla $ign. “He’s proof that authenticity and real music will take you to the T-O-P… thank you for friendship and sharing your gift with the whole world.”

After pausing to snap some pictures, Leon began: “At 16 years old, ASCAP was my choice [of PRO], and 16 years later, it’s been so many moments that I’m extremely grateful for… Along this journey, it’s been a lot of ups and downs.

“As a songwriter and producer, there were times when you had to dim your light in order to get where you wanna go,” he continued. “What God put on my path was a journey of self-reflection and confidence. He also put [people] on my journey [who] would help me take my own music as an artist to the ‘T-O-P,’ as Ty Dolla $ign said.”

With “Mutt,” a slow-burning smash that conquered both R&B and pop radio on its way to a No. 6 peak on the Billboard Hot 100, Thomas cemented himself as the R&B’s brightest new superstar. From childhood Broadway stints to his beloved portrayal of Andre Harris on Victorious, an era-defining Nickelodeon sitcom for early Gen Zers, Thomas is an entertainment powerhouse over two decades in the making.

After receiving mentorship from Babyface and producing select tracks on Ariana Grande’s Billboard 200-topping 2013 debut album, Yours Truly, Thomas Pickle earned his first Grammy nomination in 2020 for his writing and production contributions to Rick Ross and Drake’s “Gold Roses.” Two years later, he climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 — his highest peak as a producer — with SZA’s “Snooze,” which earned him his first Grammy for best R&B song in 2024.

“Shoutout to my brother Shawn Barron at EZMNY, who recognized that a lot of the music I was making was songs that didn’t quite fit on any other artist. I knew I would be the only voice that could genuinely take it there,” Thomas said. “Shawn [and Ty Dolla $ign] brought me over to Capitol Music Group and put me in a position today to do what I’m doing. Shoutout to Culture Collective — Jonathan Azu and the whole team — for keeping my life organized and well-planned, and also fighting the good fight in boardrooms to make sure that my creativity was heard. And my lawyer, Dan Shulman, and the Eisner Law crew have always worked very hard to protect my IP and who I am as a creative. And Grant Financial Management, for making sure those royalty checks are coming in on time, hallelujah!”

Earlier this year (Feb. 1), Thomas added two more gilded Gramophones to his awards mantle: best traditional R&B performance for “Vibes Don’t Lie” and best R&B album for Mutt, which reached No. 35 on the Billboard 200. He earned six nods in total, including album of the year and best new artist, emphasizing his arrival as a true front-facing star after years of behind-the-boards achievements. Since February’s ceremony, where he also played in the best new artist and D’Angelo tribute medleys, the Billboard cover star has been wrapping up the European and Australian legs of his sprawling Mutts Don’t Heel World Tour, as well as assisting Bruno Mars on his Romantic Tour in stadiums across the United States. At Sunday night’s BET Awards, Thomas will compete for album of the year (Mutt Deluxe: Heel) and best male R&B/pop artist.

“To all of my collaborators and all of the songwriters and producers that I see in this room, there’s a bunch of you [who] are also chasing your artistic dreams,” he concluded. “I don’t want y’all to give up on that because I know that with hard work and a solid team around you, you too can be heard. And don’t let any of these companies put you in a box and tell you what you can’t do.”

“Luther,” the doe-eyed, Hot 100-topping duet between Kendrick Lamar and SZA that took home the 2026 Grammy for record of the year, was named the ASCAP R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Song of the Year. Co-written by the two superstars, alongside ASCAP winners Marvin Gaye, Kamasi Washington, Scott Bridgeway and Jack Antonoff, “Luther” broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 hit in Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs history (31 weeks).

The K.Dot glow also rubbed off on Mustard, who took home ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Songwriter of the Year honors for his contributions to Lamar’s “TV Off” and Ella Mai’s “Little Things.” While the former reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and scored a flashy Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show look, the latter hit No. 4 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales Chart. Over on the faith-based side, Maverick City & Upperoom’s “Rest On Us,” co-written by Brandon Lake & Harvest Grapevine, was named ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Gospel Song of the Year.

Sony Music Publishing earned ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Publisher of the Year honors for Hot 100-charting hits including “Push 2 Start” (Tyla, No. 88), “Went Legit” (G Herbo, No. 70), “Folded” (Kehlani, No. 6), “Man I Need” (Olivia Dean, No. 2), “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” (Glorilla & Sexyy Red, No. 17), “Mutt” (Leon Thomas, No. 6), “Shake It To The Max (Fly) Remix” (MOLIY, Silent Addy, Skillibeng & Shenseea, No. 44) and “Rather Lie” (The Weeknd & Playboi Carti, No. 4).

Additional 2026 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award-winning songwriters include Cardi B (“Outside”), Justin Bieber (“Yukon”), Partynextdoor (“Somebody Loves Me”), Kali Uchis (“Is It A Crime”), Usher (“It Depends”) and Summer Walker (“Heart of A Woman”).

The ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed songs of the past year based on Luminate data for terrestrial and satellite radio and streaming services, as specified by the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards rules.

Depending on which way you care to split it, Sombr is either cool or hot. Choose a side.

The towering pop idol stopped by NBC’s The Tonight Show on Thursday, June 25 for the debut TV performance of his latest tune, “My Body Isn’t Ready.”

Wearing a body-hugging sparkly number, the New York native literally commanded the spotlight with his backing band in support.

Sombr (real name: Shane Boose) turned to his socials for some insights into his new song. “I hope this song can mean different things to different people,” he writes. “It can be taken as a metaphor. Or it can be taken literally as a description of how I have perceived my own body, for my whole life. I wanted to write about my struggle so that other people who may also be struggling know that they are not alone. You are beautiful, and I love you.”

The 20-year-old also hung out for a chat with the show’s host, Jimmy Fallon. Naturally, conversation swiftly turned to his career-affirming moment earlier this month when he inducted Taylor Swift into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and performed a pair of her songs on the night.

“It was crazy,” he recounts. “It was really her night and she wanted me, out of all the people she could have asked, to perform two songs to help induct her.” Did she choose the songs? Nope. “So, basically I was like, ‘Taylor, what songs do you want me to sing? You know, this is your night.’ And she was like, ‘no. You choose.’” That, he admits, “really put the pressure on.” He took a deep dive, came out with two songs, suggested them to her. Her response was, “perfect.”

On the night, he performed “Dear John” and “Cardigan.” Pressure off.

Swift has the highest of hopes for Sombr, and is almost jealous of his talents. That’s according to TayTay herself. Fallon took a moment to read for his audience some comments from the pop superstar, singing the praises of the precocious artist. “His writing is so exceptional, that it makes me actually envious. He’s going to be the top of my Spotify Wrapped this year, guaranteed. Sombr is the future.”

Watch Sombr’s late night interview below.

Olivia Rodrigo won’t be budged from the summit of Australia’s albums chart, as You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love (via Geffen/Universal) enters a second week at No. 1.

Earlier in the week, Rodrigo told Australian radio listeners that she hadn’t ruled out a tour down under. “I love going to Australia,” she explained to Nova 96.9’s Ricki-Lee & Tim, “and I hope to be back very soon.” She was last on these shores in October 2024 when when her GUTS World Tour routed into Sydney and Melbourne.

The top new release this week belongs to Australian rapper Chillinit (real name: Blake Turnell) with Wisdom Weed & Wordplay (Virgin/Universal). It’s his fifth studio album, it debuts at No. 5, and gives the artist his fifth top five placing.

Meanwhile, homegrown psychedelic rock act Pond splashes in the ARIA top 20 with Terrestrials (RKT), their 11^th studio album. It’s new at No.19 for the Perth, Western Australia outfit’s seventh top 50 appearance.

Further down the list, published late Friday, June 26, are debuts from Placebo (Placebo RE:CREATED at No. 40 via AWAL), Miles Smith (My Mess, My Heart, My Life. at No. 41 via RCA/Sony), Leah Senior (the independently-released Pt. Roadknight at No. 42) and Patrick Roberts (Del Gesu at No. 48 via Decca/Universal).

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Taylor Swift returns to the summit with “I Knew It, I Knew You” (Republic/Universal), thanks to the arrival of Top Story 5 in cinemas across the country. “I Knew It,” which is synced to the beloved animated Pixar franchise, debuted at No. 1 three weeks ago and rebounds 11-1 on the latest frame.

Also finding fresh wings is Tame Impala’s “Dracula” (Columbia/Sony). The platinum certified tune bounces 18-10 in its 35^th week on the chart and is one of three Australian-made cuts in the top 50 (G Flip’s “Bed On Fire” via AWAL gains 47-44 and The Kid LAROI’s “Girls” via Columbia/Sony dips 40-45). No new entries impact this week’s tally.

Alison Wonderland played a blinder, as she nailed her part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As previously reported, the elite Australian DJ and producer got tapped to present the match ball for the FIFA World Cup game Thursday evening, June 25, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA — a vital contest that saw her countrymen match up with pool D opponents Paraguay.

“WHAT AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WALK THE BALL ONTO THE FIELD FOR THE AUSTRALIA VS PARAGUAY FIFA WORLD CUP GAME,” she writes in a social post. “Being stadium captain has to be one of the top moments of my entire life . GO THE ROOS.”

In an earlier post, sharing the news of her special honor, Wonderland (real name: Alexandra Sholler) asked her followers to “wish me luck.” She didn’t need it. There were no howlers, errors, blunders.

Wonderland might have been the Socceroos’ lucky charm. The team needed a win, or a draw, to ensure progress to the round of 32. When the final whistle was blown, the Aussies got through with a 0-0 result.

With that particular bucket list item ticked off, Wonderland can focus on her touring. She wraps up the North America leg of her latest jaunt this Saturday, June 27 at Foam Wonderland in Las Vegas, NV. Then, she takes her show on the road for performances in the United Kingdom and Europe, getting underway July 10 with the Wonderland Warehouse Rave in London, all of it in support of her fourth studio album, Ghost World (via EMI). 

Collaborators on Ghost World, which dropped in December 2025, include Nina Wilson, better known as EDM producer and artist Ninajirachi, plus DJ Dave and Erick The Architect. Wonderland produced the collection with Dylan Ragland, MEMBA and QUIX. Ghost World was mixed by Tom Norris and Tristan Hoogland and mastered by Dale Becker.

Wonderland is at right home on the stage, and can boast more than 800,000 headline ticket sales across her U.S. tours alone. In 2018, she carved her name in the history books with a headline spot at Coachella, her fourth performance in the California desert, and has seven-times headlined the “Temple of Wonderland” at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

There’s more Justin Bieber Swag for your collection.

At the stroke of midnight, the Canadian pop star shared the full live recording from his much-talked-about headlining performance at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival, on April 11.

Released through Def Jam Recordings, Swag Live From Coachella (Weekend I) features guest spots from The Kid LAROI, Tems, Wizkid, Dijon, and Mk.gee, and stretches across 22 tracks.

It’s the companion to a performance that spurred its share of conversation on social media after Bieber spent some of the set playing and singing along to old YouTube videos of his catalog alongside his more recent hits. Whatever, it generated an impressive spike for Bieber’s streams, new and older. Following that first weekend slot, Bieber landed seven albums on the Billboard 200 at the same time, a career best for the most titles on the tally concurrently. Prior to that, the most he had on the chart at once was four, last achieved in January 2012.

Swag Live From Coachella (Weekend I) follows the Grammy Award-nominated seventh studio album Swag, which dropped July 11, 2025, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (dated July 26), and flooded the Billboard Hot 100 chart with 16 songs, led by “Daisies” at No. 2.  His first LP in four years, since Justice, Swag debuted at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums while the album track “Daisies” started at No. 1 on Top Streaming Songs. 

Then, last September, the surprise release of Swag II, which opened and peaked at No. 4 on the all-genres Billboard 200 list.

Missed it? The official livestream of Bieber’s performance on Thursday, June 25 enjoyed a special encore repeat on YouTube, and will repeat again today, June 26 at 7pm ET.

Stream Swag Live From Coachella (Weekend I) in full below.

Central Melbourne just got a high voltage artwork — a new Bon Scott mural, unveiled ahead of what would have been the late AC/DC frontman’s 80^th birthday.

Presented Friday, June 26, in AC/DC Lane, just minutes after Australia wrapped up its final round D match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the piece was created by Melbourne artist Era based on exclusive commemorative artwork by Mambo artist and Mental As Anything co-founder Reg Mombassa.

Born and raised in Scotland, Scott relocated to Fremantle, Western Australia with his family in 1952 when he was aged six. His Celtic roots are remembered with a lifesize statue, wielding the bagpipes, in Kirriemuir.

With a bad boy attitude, naughty grin and powerful pipes, Scott fronted several bands, most notably Fraternity and the Valentines, before he nabbed vocal duties with AC/DC.

Scott performed on the band’s first seven studio albums, including the legendary 1979 collection Highway to Hell. The album turned out to be his swansong. Just six months after its release, in February 1980, Scott died in London, at the age of 33, from what the official coroner’s report described as “acute alcohol poisoning” and attributed to “death by misadventure.”

AC/DC was one of the very first names read out for induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, saluted at a ceremony in 1988, alongside Dame Joan Sutherland, Johnny O’Keefe, Slim Dusty, Col Joye and Vanda & Young. Later, in 2003, the Aussie act was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. At every concert, AC/DC salutes their inspirational early frontman.

The rocker is gone, but won’t be forgotten.

“Fifty years ago, Bon Scott and AC/DC made Aussie rock history when they rolled down Swanston Street on the back of a flatbed truck – bagpipes in tow – for their iconic ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top‘ music video,” Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece told guests gathered Friday at Kinetic Cafe.

“This moment sparked a surge of cultural energy that still reverberates today. Melbourne is the undisputed home of live music in Australia, and AC/DC is part of our city’s DNA.”

The mural, he continued, is “a fitting tribute to two Antipodean cultural icons – and you couldn’t find a better home for it than here in AC/DC Lane.”

Collectors can bag their own copy on a poster, shirt, tote bag and more. Exclusive Reg Mombassa x Bon Scott 80 merch can be found at aus.bonscottofficial.com.

“The Scott family have been fans of Reg Mombassa’s artwork (and music) for many years. His visual style is an iconic piece of Australian culture. To have him create a special piece commemorating Bon’s 80th birthday is an honor and a thrill,” reads a statement from the rocker’s survivors.

Scott’s life and career was recounted in the 2022 documentary On The Brink, produced for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. A batch of the vocalist’s candid letters chronicling life on the road, and the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, recently went under the hammer as part of RR Auction’s Marvels of Modern Music sale. The lot sold for more than $48,000.