Music

As a native New Yorker, there are places throughout the city that hold special meaning for Jay-Z. He’s given fans an opportunity to visit those spots — or at least discover those locations — by teaming with Google Maps.

Together, they have highlighted those locations on a map that includes descriptions explaining their significance to Hov. Among the featured spots are Jungle Studios, where he recorded some of his 12th studio album, Magna Carter Holy Grail; the Apollo Theater in Harlem, where he performed for the first time in 1997 and a few times after; the creative hub where he developed and recorded Blueprint 3; and Barclays Center, which he helped bring to Brooklyn. The map also features locations for pop-up experiences and merchandise celebrating Reasonable Doubt, which turned 30 on June 25.

Hov made appearances at some of those pop-ups with daughter Blue Ivy Carter to thank fans and interact with his supporters.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

More details are leaking out about Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce, which is allegedly taking place this weekend at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Both Rolling Stone and Page Six say Stevie Nicks is set to perform, along with Tim McGraw, who inspired the title of Taylor’s first single.

One industry insider told the outlet, “I’ve heard Taylor invited so many people it’s going to be bigger than the Met Gala.”

Page Six goes on to say Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush are expected to attend, as well as Kenny Chesney.

Kenny was previously scheduled to play Sphere Las Vegas July 3-4, but cancelled those two performances, saying he realized the importance of spending time with family and friends. 

According to a report by The New York Times, Taylor and Travis will hold an intimate gathering on Thursday, followed by a massive party on Friday.

Neither Taylor nor Travis have confirmed any of this, and the entire thing may be a ruse to throw people off.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Metallica has announced the details for the eighth year of the band’s Metallica Scholars Initiative with their All Within My Hands charity foundation.

The program, which supports workforce education for community and technical college students, will distribute a grant of over $3.3 million to over 90 schools. The 2026 campaign also includes the first international Metallica Scholars partner, the Capital City College Group in the U.K.

“This thing started as a dream,” frontman James Hetfield says in a statement. “Now our program is changing lives. To expand our impact on a global scale and support even more students is so rewarding.”

He continues, “We’re so proud of all the Metallica Scholars who have come through it and all the ones who will participate in it. It’s humbling to know we’ve been part of the journey of thousands of trade professionals doing good, hard work in the world.”

For more info, visit AllWithinMyHands.org/metallica-scholars.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The B-52s were forced to cancel their set at Frances’ Retro C Trop music festival Saturday due to severe weather just minutes before they were to go onstage.

Singer Fred Schneider took to social media to let fans know just how bad the situation at Château de Tilloloy  became, calling it a “total disaster.” He suggested the promoter wanted them to go on with the show despite the impending weather.

“First, there was lightning, but the promoter still had the crew set up the stage and told the band to get ready to perform,” he wrote. “Luckily, Our tour manager, said to hold back 10 minutes because it’s not safe and we have to see what is going on with the storm. Then it was like a world wind hurricane force and heavy rain.”

He wrote the weather got so bad they got stuck at the grounds “because it was too dangerous to drive,” with the power also going out backstage. 

“We felt terrible for the fans that have waited in the heat all day for us to perform,” he continued, noting the fans got “very little warning to no warning” that they weren’t safe.

He wrote that the storm was so bad it caused scaffolding to fall from the stage, destroying some of their equipment. He shared photos of all the destroyed equipment, including keyboards, mic stands and laptops, but also let fans know that “No one was hurt thank goodness.”

The band’s official Instagram account also posted a message to fans, noting they were sorry about the cancellation. “The storm made it impossible to continue, and the safety of our fans and everyone on site had to come first.” The post included a photo of lightning striking while the band ahead of them played.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Lorde has released a total of 49 demos recorded during the sessions for her latest album, Virgin.

The “Royals” artist uploaded the recordings over the weekend to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Virgin, which dropped on June 27, 2025.

You can listen to all 49 demos via Lorde’s website and check out a batch of behind-the-scenes photos.

Virgin marked Lorde’s fourth album and her first in four years. It spawned the single “What Was That.”

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Foo Fighters played the second of two shows in Liverpool, England, on Saturday and didn’t leave town without paying tribute to The Beatles.

The set included the live debut of Dave Grohl and company’s cover of the Abbey Road track “I Want You (She’s So Heavy.” 

The Beatles, of course, formed in Liverpool.

Meanwhile, the Foos’ first Liverpool show included an appearance by a fan named Max, who held a sign asking to play a song if he solved a Rubik’s Cube onstage. Grohl then invited Max up, and after he fulfilled the challenge, invited him to play drums on the Foos song “Rope.”

After the performance, it was revealed that Max wasn’t a random fan, but the boyfriend of Grohl’s daughter Harper Grohl. The moment was put together to celebrate Max’s 18th birthday.

In even more Foo Fighters Liverpool happenings, the concerts were preceded by a performance of “Times Like These” by students of Liverpool’s Anfield Road Primary School. You can watch that streaming now on YouTube.

Foo Fighters are currently touring Europe in support of their album Your Favorite Toy, which dropped in April. The tour will come to North America starting in August.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Bad Wolves have released a new single called “Paint It Red.”

The track serves as an introduction for the band’s new lineup, which features new vocalist Sara Skinner, otherwise known as Killboy. She joins drummer John Boecklin, the lone remaining Bad Wolves founding member in the band, alongside bassist Derek Bolman and guitarist AJ Rebollo.

“When we started looking for the next voice of BAD WOLVES, we weren’t looking for someone to fill a spot; we were looking for someone who could help push this band into its next chapter,” Boecklin says in a statement. “The first time I heard Sara sing, I knew she was different. She has an incredible voice, undeniable presence, and the kind of versatility that allows us to take our songwriting to places we’ve never gone before.”

You can watch the “Paint It Red” video streaming now on YouTube.

Bad Wolves — which originally featured Boecklin, frontman Tommy Vext, guitarists Doc Coyle and Chris Cain and bassist Kyle Konkiel — broke out in 2018 with a viral cover of the Cranberries song “Zombie.” They released two albums before parting ways with Vext in 2021 and then two more with Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz on vocals.

Laskiewicz now plays bass in Falling in Reverse, while Coyle, Cain and Konkiel also all left the band.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Strokes have premiered the video for “Going Shopping,” the lead single off the band’s upcoming album, Reality Awaits.

The clip stars Justified and The White Lotus actor Walton Goggins alongside frontman Julian Casablancas as they reference the famed Paul Simon video for “You Can Call Me Al.” Casablancas plays Simon’s part while Goggins steps in for the role played by Chevy Chase. 

In between that, The Strokes also slip in some political commentary.

You can watch the “Going Shopping” video streaming now on YouTube.

Reality Awaits, the seventh Strokes album and their first in six years, is due out July 24. 

The Strokes will resume their U.S. tour July 12 in Richmond, Virginia.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

More details are leaking out about Taylor Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce, which is allegedly taking place this weekend at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

A source has confirmed to Rolling Stone that Stevie Nicks will attend the wedding and is “expected to” perform. Page Six, meanwhile, says its been told that not only will Stevie perform, but so will Tim McGraw, the country superstar who inspired the title of Taylor’s very first single.

Page Six also says several other major country stars will be attending. One industry insider told the outlet, “I’ve heard Taylor invited so many people it’s going to be bigger than the Met Gala.”

The presence of both of the singers is no surprise, since Taylor has been friends with them for years, and has shared a stage with them in the past.  In particular, Stevie wrote a poem for Taylor’s The Tortured Poets Society album, and Taylor namechecked Stevie in a song from that album, “Clara Bow.”

Taylor also told Stephen Colbert last year of Stevie, “I feel very lucky that she’s lent her very magical, wonderful, wise approach to life to me.” During the NBA Finals, Taylor wore a t-shirt that said, “Stevie Knicks,” in honor of the singer and the New York team.

Stevie told Rolling Stone in 2024 of Taylor and Travis, “I hope they fall deeper and deeper in love and ride off into the sunset … and get married and have babies if she wants that. I just want all of that for her.”

According to a New York Times report, Taylor and Travis will hold an intimate gathering on Thursday, followed by a massive party on Friday.

Neither Taylor nor Travis have confirmed any of this, and the entire thing may be a ruse to throw people off.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.