Kaleo frontman JJ Julius Son is getting into the cigar business.
The “Way Down We Go” rocker has teamed up with Kingmakers to create his own signature cigar, which is wrapped in a Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf and blends Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos.
“The smoke opens with toasted almond, white pepper, and honeyed cream, unfolding into cedar and citrus zest for a profile that’s delicate in strength but rich in character,” a press release reads.
“For me, music and cigars share the same language — rhythm, nuance, and emotion,” Julius Son says. “Every note or draw is about creating a moment you want to return to. This cigar is my way of offering that experience beyond the stage.”
The JJ x Kingmakers cigar will be available in the fall.
Kaleo released their latest album, Mixed Emotions, in May. They’ll resume their tour behind the record Aug. 31 in Jackson, Wyoming.
If you like Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton‘s “A Song to Sing,” it looks like you’ll have something to watch on Friday.
Miranda, Chris and his wife and musical partner, Morgane Stapleton, all shared a clip of what appears to be the song’s music video on Thursday, with text that simply says “8.22.25.”
In the snippet, Chris, Miranda, Morgane and another man walk down the sidewalk next to a wall that’s half orange paint and half brick. Chris and Miranda are dressed in matching rust-colored suits, cowboy hats and sunglasses, carrying guitars, while Morgane wears a gold lamé jumpsuit and is carrying an amp, as is the other man.
The audio is the instrumental opening of the song. Stay tuned to see what follows on Friday.
BigXthaPlug attends his BigXthaPlug Life Of A Boss Ball at TAO on May 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for BigXthaPlug)
BigXthaPlug has shared the official album trailer for his new album, I Hope You’re Happy, giving fans a tease of his song with Darius Rucker. The clip starts with a closeup of a woman crying and laughing, before it zooms out to show she’s sitting in front of a burning house. It’s soundtracked to the title track, specifically Darius’ contribution to the hook.
“I hope you’re happy with somebody new,” Darius sings to a former lover. “The way that I was when I had you/ And I hope he won’t break your heart/ And waste all your time/ I hope you’re happy with the way you broke mine.”
BigXthaPlug tells Billboard the song “I Hope You’re Happy” is what inspired his marketing team to suggest that he change the title of the album from Not Just Country to I Hope You’re Happy.
“I didn’t want to just put myself out there as just a country artist or just a rap artist. I wanted to let the world know that I was an artist period,” he says of the album’s original title.
Halfway through the album-making process, however, BigX says he was experiencing heartbreak, which led to him writing a letter to his ex via the song “I Hope You’re Happy.”
I Hope You’re Happy arrives on Friday. It features a star-studded list of country stars, including Bailey Zimmerman, Shaboozey, Ella Langley and Jelly Roll.
Taylor Swift, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ “Baby, That’s Show Business” variant (Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott)
Taylor Swift‘s latest countdown brings news of even more limited-edition vinyl versions of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl.
The new “Baby, That’s Show Business” collection includes two new colors, a different cover image, a “Baby, That’s Show Business” poem written by Taylor, a photo strip with four photos, album lyrics and more.
There are two colors available: Lovely Bouquet, which is opaque golden yellow metallic vinyl with orange and red splatter, and Lakeside Beach Blue Sparkle, which is translucent blue vinyl with black marbling and iridescent glitter.
The cover art has Taylor in full-on showgirl mode, dancing onstage in a bejeweled two-piece outfit with a yellow feather and jeweled headdress with several other similarly dressed women.
Each vinyl costs $29.99; they’re only available until Saturday at 1:59 p.m. ET or while supplies last. Her last collection sold out in about an hour.
Tim McGraw’s ‘Field of Dreams’ concert (U.S. Concert Agency)
What started out as a Tim McGraw concert has sprouted into a full-blown music festival.
The two-day event kicks off Saturday, Aug. 30, in Dyersville, Iowa, at the site made famous by Kevin Costner‘s 1989 film Field of Dreams. The Saturday show will honor Tim’s father, Tug McGraw, who played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, on what would’ve been his 81st birthday.
Iowa native Hailey Whitters is set to play as well, alongside Loess Hills, Dani Rose, Cody Lee, Timothy Wayne and Ty Myers. Tim will close out the night.
Sunday, Aug. 31, features a full lineup of talent, too, with Lakeview, Brantley Gilbert and others set to take the stage before Nickelback headlines.
You’ll find the tickets that still remain on StubHub.
Brian May of Queen performs at Chase Center on November 08, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images)
Queen’s Brian May is teaming with The Struts on a new version of the U.K. band’s breakout hit “Could Have Been Me,” which is due out Sept. 3. You can presave it now and check out a teaser video streaming on YouTube.
The Struts frontman Luke Spiller says he’s “absolutely ecstatic” about collaborating with May, who he calls his “hero.”
“This song is all about seizing your dreams and living life to the fullest, no matter the obstacles,” Spiller says. “It’s a powerful anthem that reminds us to chase what sets our souls on fire. Collaborating with Brian on this track is a dream realized, and I can’t wait for you all to feel the energy and inspiration behind it.”
“Working with Luke and The Struts has been a joyous journey for me,” May adds. “I became obsessed with this great song ever since I was inspired by the original version and felt an uncontrollable urge to mess with it! It carries a great positive message for rebellious kids of all ages. And, together, WE ROCK!!”
“Could Have Been Me” was released in 2013 in the U.K. before it became a hit in the U.S. in 2015 and appears on the band’s debut album, Everybody Wants. It was later featured in the 2021 animated movie Sing 2.
Brent Hinds performs at Riot Fest 2024 at Douglass Park on September 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images
Former Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds has died at age 51.
“We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief,” the metal outfit writes in an Instagram post Thursday. “Last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident.”
The Atlanta Police Department reported that a man driving a motorcycle Wednesday night was killed in a crash with a BMW SUV that failed to yield.
“We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we’ve shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many,” Mastodon’s post continues. “Our hearts are with Brent’s family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Hinds cofounded Mastodon in 2000 alongside drummer Brann Dailor, guitarist Bill Kelliher and bassist Troy Sanders. Aside from a brief time with vocalist Eric Saner, the four-man lineup of Hinds, Dailor, Kelliher and Sanders remained consistent and played on every album together until March 2025, when Mastodon announced that they’d “mutually decided to part ways” with Hinds.
“We’re deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we’ve shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors,” Mastodon wrote at the time.
Hinds, meanwhile, hinted that his departure was not so friendly, criticizing his former bandmates in subsequent social media posts.
Outside of Mastodon, Hinds played in bands including Fiend Without a Face, Legend of the Seagullmen and Giraffe Tongue Orchestra, which also features Alice in Chains‘ William DuVall.
Selena Gomez is leaning into her Mexican heritage with the latest drop from her Rare Beauty line.
She’s got a new collection inspired by Tajín, a Mexican spice mix that includes lime, chili peppers and salt, and is reddish in color. The color inspired the new Rare Beauty X Tajín Cheek and Lip set, which is packaged in a green, white and red box, matching the color of the spice blend’s bottle.
“Growing up, my dad, my family would put Tajín on everything,” Selena says in an Instagram video. “It just brings me back to that time when I was younger, and, you know, how you can use it in different ways: in drinks and fruit and all those things.”
She adds in another post, “[I] still use it on everything, so one could say this collab has been years in the making.”
The new shades of Chamoy — deep red brown — and Clásico, which is terracotta with copper and gold shimmer, are available for a limited time at Sephora, Sephora Mexico and RareBeauty.com.
Selena also looked toward childhood Mexican flavors for her recent collab with Oreo: She created a cookie inspired by the Mexican cinnamon drink horchata.
Def Leppard performs on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Aug. 20, 2025. Photo credit: Trae Patton/NBC
Def Leppard made an appearance on NBC’s America’s Got Talent Wednesday night, treating the audience to a performance of their classic tune “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”
The band later shared some behind-the-scenes footage from their appearance on Instagram.
“We’re in Pasadena, California, the home of America’s Got Talent, because we are performing,” frontman Joe Elliott says in the clip. “We’re doing one song so that should be easy enough to do, we hope.”
Guitarist Vivian Campbell then jokes, “America’s Got Talent, which is good because we don’t, so we’ll have to borrow some.” Bassist Rick Savage quips, “Maybe even Simon Cowell might be impressed,” before mouthing “doubt it.”
The clip shows the band doing some run-throughs and sound check, and watching as crew test out the pyro that will be going off around them.
“If I was next to that for too much longer I wouldn’t need to shave anymore,” drummer Rick Allen says of the shooting flames. “It’s really hot.”
Def Leppard’s appearance on AGT comes as the band is in the middle of a summer tour. Their next show is Tuesday at the Minnesota State Fair. A complete list of dates can be found at DefLeppard.com.
Sean “Diddy” Combs attends Day 1 of 2023 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on August 26, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Sean “Diddy” Combs doesn’t deserve a new trial because “there was more than a sufficient basis” to support his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, federal prosecutors argued in a new court filing overnight, submitted in response to a July 31 defense motion requesting acquittal or a new trial.
Attorneys for Combs, who was found not guilty on July 2 of more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, asked the judge four weeks later to acquit him of the prostitution-related counts or grant him a new trial, arguing in part that the Mann Act – the law under which Combs was convicted – was too broadly interpreted to apply to him, that the evidence used to support his conviction was lacking and that “spillover prejudice” from evidence introduced to support the charges on which Combs was acquitted – evidence the defense argued “would have been inadmissible” if Combs had been tried only under the Mann Act – was “inflammatory.”
The Mann Act is a federal law that makes it a criminal offense to “knowingly [transport] any individual, male or female, in interstate or foreign commerce or in any territory or possession of the United States for the purpose of prostitution or sexual activity which is a criminal offense under the federal or state statute or local ordinance.”
Combs doesn’t dispute hiring male escorts but his attorneys argued in their July motion that the Mann Act doesn’t prohibit Combs’ conduct “because he lacked a commercial motive and did not intend for paid escorts to have sex with him,” but rather to watch and video record them them having sex with girlfriends in sexual encounters referred to in trial testimony as so-called “freak-offs,” which his attorneys contended is “protected First Amendment activity.”
Prosecutors argued in their 58-page response that the law doesn’t distinguish between voyeurism and profit.
“He transported escorts across state lines to engage in Freak Offs for pay. He directed the sexual activity of escorts and victims throughout Freak Offs for his own sexual gratification. And he personally engaged in sexual activity during Freak Offs,” prosecutors said of Combs in their filing. “There was more than a sufficient basis, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, to support the counts of conviction.”
The “freak-offs,” as former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura testified they were called and which another former Combs girlfriend testifying under the pseudonym “Jane” referred to as “hotel nights,” took place at different residences or in hotels in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Ibiza, and Turks and Caicos, according to trial testimony.
“Escorts traveled to these Freak Offs with Ventura and hotel nights with Jane. The defendant discussed the escorts’ travel with Ventura and Jane,” prosecutors said in their filing, further noting that “the travel arrangements were generally made at the defendant’s direction” including by using a travel agent, having an escort service coordinate it, or by having Ventura and “Jane” handle arrangements.
