Don Toliver attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco on February 07, 2026, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics)
Don Toliver might have created his own universe for Octane, but in the U.S., the album has officially landed at #1 on the Billboard 200.
For the chart dated Feb. 14, Octane earned 162,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Feb. 5, including 131,000 streams, 31,000 album sales and a negligible sum of TEA units, according to Luminate.
This marks Don’s first #1 as a solo artist, though he’s come close before. He previously peaked at #2 with 2021’s Life of a DON and reached #3 with Hardstone Psycho in 2024. 2020’s Heaven or Hell reached #7, and 2023’s Love Sick hit #8.
As a member of the hip-hop collective JACKBOYS, led by Travis Scott, Don has earned two #1 hits with the group’s self-titled album and its sequel.
Octane also topped the Top Streaming Albums chart, marking his best streaming week to date, as well as the Top Album Sales chart, his biggest sales week ever.
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200’s top 10, SZA’s SOS lands at #9 and A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb hits #10.
Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers performs during the 2025 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on June 12, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame)
The Doobie Brothers’ Michael McDonald and George Thorogood & The Destroyers are among the artists set to be inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville this year.
The 2026 class also includes Dolly Parton, the late session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, country star Keith Urban, producer-musicians Dan Huff and John Boylan, and session bassist Leland Sklar.
“The Musicians Hall of Fame has inducted over 170 musicians, producers, engineers and industry icons. Each new class of inductees reminds us why we do what we do – preserving and celebrating the legacy of the musicians who bring songs to life,” says Linda Chambers, co-founder and CEO of the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these legendary artists into the Musicians Hall of Fame.”
This year’s class will be celebrated at a concert and induction ceremony April 28 at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.
Tickets for the ceremony go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT.
Lots of folks seem to be “Choosin’ Texas” these days, and it’s helped Ella Langley set a record.
The Alabama native’s just become the first woman ever to top the all-genre Billboard 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts at the same time.
It’s only happened three times before with male artists: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen, and Morgan’s “Last Night.”
Co-written with Miranda Lambert, “Choosin’ Texas” is the lead single from Ella’s sophomore album, Dandelion, which comes out April 10.
Five For Fighting/Edwin McCain co-headlining tour poster (Courtesy Five For Fighting and Edwin McCain)
Fans could not ask for more than a summer tour featuring Edwin McCain and Five for Fighting.
The two acts will co-headline the tour, which starts June 4 in Paducah, Kentucky, and is scheduled to wrap up July 1 in Layton, Utah. Each date will feature Edwin and Five For Fighting — the professional name of singer/songwriter John Ondrasik — alternating closing sets.
“I’ve always loved Five for Fighting and I’m excited to share the stage on this tour!” says Edwin in a statement.
“So looking forward to sharing the stage with Ed and his fantastic band while bringing fans back to the future!” adds John. Tickets are currently on sale on both artists’ websites.
During the tour, fans will hear each artist’s biggest hits, including “I Could Not Ask for More” and “I’ll Be” from Edwin, and “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” “100 Years,” “The Riddle,” “Chances” and “World” from John.
Edwin’s most recent album is 2025’s Lucky; last year he also appeared on The Masked Singer. In recent years, John’s used his music to reflect world events, such as the war in Ukraine and the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Noah Kahan performs at CMA Fest. (Disney/Larry McCormack)
Noah Kahan’s “The Great Divide” has made a great debut on the Billboard Hot 100.
The title track and lead single off the “Stick Season” artist’s upcoming album begins at #6 on the all-genre chart, giving him his first top-10 Hot 100 debut. It also marks his highest position on the Hot 100, beating out the #9 peak of “Stick Season.”
The album The Great Divide is due out April 24. Kahan will launch a U.S. tour in support of it in June. Presales begin Tuesday at noon local time, and tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday at noon local time.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit NoahKahan.com.
Meanwhile, Kahan’s last album, Stick Season, has returned to the top 10 on the Billboard 200 amid all The Great Divide news. It now sits at #7 with 42,000 equivalent album units.
Stick Season was originally released in 2022 and was expanded over the years with multiple deluxe editions, including the 30-track Stick Season (Forever), which celebrates its two-year anniversary Monday. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 in 2024.
Martin HD-28 Grand Ole Opry 100th Anniversary guitar (Grand Ole Opry)
If you happened to spot the special guitar Vince Gill played on the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary show on Nov. 28, 2025, you might be excited to know you can now own one.
The Opry 100th Anniversary Martin HD-28 Guitar is now available, created through a partnership between the Opry, Martin Guitar and Gruhn Guitars.
The limited-edition instrument features a mother-of-pearl and abalone rendering of the iconic WSM microphone on the headplate, with a matching ebony inlay on the fingerboard.
It’s available now through The Opry Shop online, though it doesn’t come cheap. The guitar itself is $4,300, plus an extra $100 for shipping.
Bilmuri has added a second North American leg to his KINDA HARD tour in support of his upcoming album of the same name.
The newly announced shows span from Sept. 4 in Orlando, Florida, to Oct. 4 in San Francisco. Presales begin Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time, and tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Bilmuri.com.
The album KINDA HARD is due out April 10. It includes the songs “MORE THAN HATE,” “HARD2TELL” and “TWICE.”
Spotted lanternflies stand on a railing next to the Hudson River as the sun sets on the skyline of New York, Aug. 26, 2023. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Scientists are getting a better understanding of why spotted lanternflies, the invasive species wreaking havoc in the Northeast every spring, have been thriving since their invasion into the U.S.
The flying insect, identified by its distinctive spotted wings, originated in Asia and likely arrived in the U.S. around 2014 through a single introduction, after which it began to multiply exponentially, Kristen Winchell, an associate professor of biology at New York University, told ABC News.
Ever since, the lanternflies have swarmed urban regions in the Northeast, while wildlife experts have encouraged people who come across them to squish them immediately to further prevent their spread.
Researchers say they now have a better idea of how the insects have managed to adapt and spread so quickly in the U.S.
New genomic analyses of the insect indicates that the spotted lanternflies likely adapted to urban settings in Shanghai, China – including heat, pollution and pesticides – which is allowing them to thrive in the Northeast U.S. corridor, according to a paper published in The Royal Society journal. The insects showed adaptations in genes associated with stress response, according to the paper.
“They were adapting to thrive in urban environments in the native range, and that primed them then to be successful in whatever the next urban environment they landed in,” said Winchell, who co-authored the paper.
Researchers believe the lanternflies arrived in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in a shipment of stone from South Korea via their native range in urban Shanghai, Fallon Meng, a doctoral candidate at NYU’s Department of Biology, told ABC News.
Their egg masses have easily survived the harsh Northeast winters, so they would have “no problem” surviving in a climate-controlled shipping container, Winchell said.
Lanternflies have been spotted as far north as Boston, Mass., and Providence, R.I., although how much farther north they can survive is yet to be determined, Winchell said.
Spotted lanternflies were able “take over” an unfamiliar ecosystem and a new climate despite the low genetic diversity from the single introduction, Winchell said. They are genetically similar across their 125-mile range in the U.S., the research found.
“The loss of genetic diversity in this population, which should theoretically constrain any sort of adaptation or variation in traits in the invasive environment, should possibly limit their spread,” Winchell said.
The insects have also been known to hitch rides on trains and ferries, as well as humans’ backpacks, Winchell said, adding that researchers expect them to spread west next, toward Chicago.
“The females carry a lot of eggs, and so it just takes one to lay a successful clutch of eggs,” Winchell said.
Spotted lanternflies feed on tree sap using piercing mouthparts. The piercing doesn’t necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.
Tree of Heaven, an invasive species in the U.S. that’s native to Asia, is their tree of choice, but they have the potential to impact apple orchards, maple trees and vineyards in the Northeast.
They can also sequester toxins from the Tree of Heaven, which makes them toxic to certain animals that may eat them, which in turn negatively impacts the food chain.
Invasive management efforts in cities may be necessary to curb further spread of the spotted lanternfly, according to the paper. In the meantime, researchers said, the the advice to stomp on them when you see then still stands.
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, early on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Later this month, President Donald Trump is hosting an annual meeting with governors at the White House, but he will not invite any Democrats, only Republicans, breaking a long-standing tradition.
The meeting, part of the National Governors Association winter gathering, will only include Republican governors, a spokesperson for the organization confirmed to ABC News.
“The bipartisan White House governors meeting is an important tradition, and we are disappointed in the administration’s decision to make it a partisan occasion this year. To disinvite individual governors to the White House sessions undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration,” Brandon Tatum, acting Executive Director and CEO of the National Governors Association, said in a statement to ABC News.
Trump is still planning to hold a separate, bipartisan dinner for governors and their spouses at the White House as part of the NGA activities. But Trump did not give invites to two Democrats: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
It’s unclear why Trump did not invite Polis and Moore to the dinner. Moore also serves as the vice chair of the NGA.
“This is a disappointing decision for a traditionally bipartisan event between Governors and whomever occupies the White House,” Ally Sullivan, a spokesperson for Polis, said to ABC News in a statement. A source close to Polis said the governor was not given a reason for not being invited.
Over the past few months, Trump has put pressure on Polis to release Tina Peters from prison following her receiving a presidential pardon. Peters was convicted on state charges for a scheme to tamper with voting systems driven by false claims about the 2020 election. Trump’s pardon power does not extend to state crimes.
Moore was also not informed why he was not invited to the annual dinner and blasted Trump in a statement released on Sunday, appearing to suggest his race was a factor.
“My peers, both Democrats and Republicans, selected me to serve as the Vice Chair of the NGA, another reason why it’s hard not to see this decision as another example of blatant disrespect and a snub to the spirit of bipartisan federal-state partnership,” Moore said.
“As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight — whether that was the intent or not,” he continued.
ABC News has requested comment from the White House regarding Moore’s remarks.
Moore said to CNN on Sunday that he has received a commitment from the bipartisan National Governors Association that it will not recognize the dinner as an official NGA event.
In a statement to ABC News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s decision to exclude Democratic governors from the annual NGA meeting at the White House, adding that Trump did invite them to the dinner.
“These are White House events and the President can invite whomever he wants. With that being said, the White House has been coordinating meetings with the President, cabinet secretaries, and Democrat governors for more than a week,” Leavitt said in her statement. “Democrats were invited to the dinner at the White House. This is a non-story.”
Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, in an appearance on ABC’s “The View” on Monday, slammed Trump’s decision to only invite Republicans to the annual meeting with governors at the White House and exclude Moore and Polis from the bipartisan dinner. Beshear also said he would not be attending the bipartisan dinner.
“No, I ain’t going,” Beshear said. “Wes is a friend of mine. Even if he wasn’t a friend of mine, this would be wrong — and Jared as well — but the other thing that’s going on is they didn’t invite any Democratic governor to the business section.”
Mary J. Blige attends as Lifetime hosts the world premiere of ‘Mary J. Blige Presents: Be Happy’ at Hearst Tower on February 04, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Lifetime)
Mary J. Blige is among the stars set to take the stage at the 10th annual Love Rocks NYC, a benefit concert that raises money for God’s Love We Deliver, which provides medically tailored meals to New Yorkers living with severe illnesses.
Mary joins a lineup including Jon Batiste, Billy F Gibbons and Elvis Costello, with special guests to be announced. The show will be led by music director and band leader Will Lee and takes place March 5 at the Beacon Theatre. JB Smoove, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Ross, Julianne Moore, Paul Shaffer and Zarna Garg are also set to appear.
In other Mary news, her latest Lifetime film aired Saturday. Mary J. Blige Presents Be Happy follows the story of Val, a wife and stay-at-home mom who “is grappling with empty-nest feelings, loneliness and growing emotional distance from her husband Ross,” according to the synopsis. “She begins to realize that her marriage and the woman she once was, may be slipping away.”
The film is named after Mary’s song “Be Happy,” which she told Billboard was inspired by real-life experiences.
“When I was recording these songs, they were movies,” she said. “I was living ‘Real Love.’ Even if I didn’t go to college, I was searching for a real love.”
She added that Val’s story mirrors her own journey of self-discovery. “[S]he’s trying to figure out where she fits and what her purpose is now because her marriage is fizzling out, and it’s now time to reinvent, not be stuck and move forward,” she said. “That’s been the story of my life: reinventing. Not because somebody wants me to, but because it’s where life takes me.”
Mary is set to kick off her first-ever Las Vegas residency on May 1.
