AGP Executive Report

K-Pop Sampling Boom: LE SSERAFIM’s “BOOMPALA” remix just added Punjabi star Guru Randhawa, leaning into the wider K-pop trend of borrowing instantly recognizable hooks (including an authorized sample of “Macarena”) to widen mainstream reach. Broadway Music Theatre: The 2026 Tony Awards crowned “Schmigadoon!” as best new musical and “Liberation” as best play, with John Lithgow making history as the oldest competitive acting winner; Qween Jean also made history as the first openly trans Tony winner (costume design). Rock & Legacy Tours: Rush kicked off its “Fifty Something” reunion run in Los Angeles, returning to the stage for the first time since 2015 and honoring Neil Peart. New Releases & Crossovers: Deep Purple previewed “SPLAT!” with “Diablo,” featuring Keith Urban on guitar, while Electric Callboy and Dexter Holland dropped “Let the Good Times Roll” with guest cameos in the video. Local Music & Community: Luna Community College brings back its 17th annual car show with music and family fun (June 13), and Tri-Valley Haven gets support from Indigo Impala’s blues-rock benefit series starting June 20.

SEVENTEEN: Vernon and The8 confirm their unit album as V8 drops June 29, timed with the group’s upcoming military enlistment plans. Documentary/Legacy: Questlove’s HBO Earth, Wind & Fire doc spotlights Maurice White’s Memphis-to-LA vision and the band’s genre-bending rise. Tour/Health: Charlie Puth cancels Orlando after illness leaves him “without a voice,” with rescheduled dates ahead. Album/Pop: Charli XCX fires back at “Brat” haters and confirms her seventh studio album Music, Fashion, Film for July 24. Music/Tragedy: Songwriter Talay Riley (Mark Orabiyi) dies at 35 after a stabbing in east London; police launch a murder investigation. Live/Community: Bend Summer Pride returns to Drake Park with music, games, and queer joy. Classical Culture: A Chinese pianist’s “blind box” encore concept turns classical music into public spectacle, not just a formal art. Local/Events: Clacton Pier announces a free two-day music festival starting June 13, with reggae then country themes.

Live-Music Education: Rebecca Robles’ “Backstage Pass” capstone brings agents, venue execs, and producers to teach students how to break into touring and live industry roles. Touring & Releases: Ariana Grande kicks off her Eternal Sunshine Tour in Oakland; Georgia Lines drops “Live At The Civic,” a 10-track capture of her Auckland headline show. New Music Spotlight: WHO SHOT SCOTT readies debut album “HAIRY” with “I’M YOUR ALIEN,” while Intricate shares debut single “Getting Close.” Local Scenes & Festivals: Thamesmead Festival 2026 announces a closure; Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Mavis Staples headline day 4 of Burlington’s Discover Jazz Festival. Industry & Culture: Madonna premieres “Confessions II” visuals, pushing “connection” over “mindless music,” and Lee Sklar shares what makes a great studio groove. Legal/Politics: A judge tosses the Kennedy Center’s lawsuit after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled in protest of a name change. Live-Event Disruptions: Morgan Wallen cancels Pittsburgh shows due to severe weather. Global Charts: BTS tops Billboard Japan’s mid-year album sales with “ARIRANG,” and SHINee readies its rare full-group TV performance of “Atmos.” Loss: Mizrahi icon Ishay Levi dies at 63.

Legal Spotlight: A D.C. judge tossed Chuck Redd’s breach-of-contract lawsuit after he canceled his Kennedy Center Christmas Eve set, siding with him under Washington’s Anti-SLAPP rules and citing free-speech retaliation claims. Stadium Update: Morgan Wallen canceled his Pittsburgh show at Acrisure Stadium due to severe weather, with refunds offered and no clear reschedule. Streaming/Charts: BTS’ “ARIRANG” hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Weekly Top Albums Global chart again, while ILLIT took No. 1 on “Show! Music Core” with “It’s Me.” New Releases: Charli xcx announced her seventh studio album “Music, Fashion, Film,” due July 24. Local Live Music: Orillia’s free “Music in the Park” returns with 13 concerts, and Maine’s Wildfest 3 grows into a full-day community music event at Titcomb Mountain on June 13. Music Culture: A New York pub called the Shane MacGowan Pub is set to open as a “living tribute” to the Pogues legend.

New Album Drops: Death Cab for Cutie released “I Built You a Tower,” channeling frontman Ben Gibbard’s grief into a big, arena-ready sound. Pop Power Moves: Taylor Swift’s “Toy Story 5” track “I Knew It, I Knew You” brings her back to country, while Madonna shares “Love Sensation” and Ellie Goulding debuts “Black Prada Dress.” Video & Global Reach: Muse’s new clip was filmed in Almaty, and the FIFA World Cup 2026 album lands with 45 artists across genres. Big Numbers, Big Headlines: Reports peg Swift as the richest female musician at $2B, fueled by the Eras Tour and master buybacks. Local Music Life: Cat’s Kettle in Columbia closed to relocate; meanwhile, New Ulm’s Music in the Park kicked off with the Concord Singers. Community & Culture: AFRIMA launched seven “Diamonds” at its Lagos event, and Olivia Rodrigo teased her most ambitious, longer third album. Live & Stage: “The Bodyguard” returns as a blockbuster musical, and “Hook Up: The Musical” brings LGBTQ+ dating-app satire back for Pride.

Pop Culture + Privacy: Phoebe Bridgers turned Madison Square Garden into a phone-free living room for a hush-hush secret show, with phones locked away and new songs unveiled. Album News: Steve Lacy announced his third studio album Oh yeah? (July 17) and shared “the feeling.” Rock + Legacy: Barry Manilow released What a Time, calling it a “full-circle” journey ahead of a UK arena run. Charts Watch: Paul McCartney’s The Boys of Dungeon Lane debuted at No. 1 for his 24th UK chart-topper, while Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me” hit No. 1 on the singles chart. Latin Picks: Jasiel Nuñez dropped “Bobo Me Tienes” and “Suave,” as Billboard’s New Music Latin poll asks fans to vote for the week’s best release. Community Music: Regina’s YMCA raised $50,000 at Music for the Mind for youth mental health, and Kewaskum’s Music in the Park lineup is set for summer Tuesdays. Global Soundtrack: FIFA released the official World Cup album featuring Canadian artists Nelly Furtado and Jessie Reyez.

New Releases: Steve Lacy is gearing up for his July 17 album Oh Yeah? with the lovelorn single “The Feeling,” while Olivia Rodrigo readies her June 12 third album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl so in Love, promising a more experimental, post-heartbreak emotional palette. Film Tie-Ins: Taylor Swift drops “I Knew It, I Knew You” for Toy Story 5, framing it as both a “departure” and a “coming home” moment. Legacy Vault: The Prince Estate confirms Timeless, a posthumous set of 10 unheard recordings (Aug. 28) plus the new single “Stone.” Live & Local: Fort Wayne creates a dedicated Music Office to boost its music economy, and Japan’s MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Premier Ceremony announces performers including Hiromi Uehara and STUTS. Community Music: Hospice Country Music Festival lands Aug. 6 in Prince George, and Appalachian Music Festival returns July 11 with live bands and fireworks. Industry Buzz: Forbes crowns Taylor Swift the richest female musician in history.

Music Education & Access: Hungry for Music, a 32-year-old nonprofit with a Woodstock distribution center, has donated and repaired an estimated 30,000 instruments since 1994, placing 3,000+ each year with kids in all 50 states and 40 countries. Album Spotlight: 6LACK frames his new album Love is the New Gangsta as a fatherhood-fueled turning point, built around vulnerability and hard conversations. Documentary/Album Rollout: Sara Bareilles’ Good Grief album (Aug. 28) gets a Tribeca premiere with director Josh Alexander, focusing on how grief turns into art. Live Music Calendar: New Orleans’ June 4-10 club scene stays packed, while local community lineups include Bessie Smith’s Big 9 Music Fest (June 20) and the Massillon Cruise-In & Music Festival (June 6). Major Releases: Prince estate announces Timeless (Aug. 28) with rare recordings spanning 1977-2016, preceded by the 1995 track “Stone.” Industry/Policy: RIAA honors Garth Brooks with an artist-of-a-lifetime award and also spotlights AI deepfake protections legislation.

World Cup Music: FIFA dropped the full artist “squad” for the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, a star-studded 18-track project built for global unity—featuring Future & Tyla (“Game Time”), Nelly Furtado & Davido (“No Place Like Home”), Shakira & Burna Boy (“DAI DAI”), plus Shakira, Stormzy, Daddy Yankee, The Rolling Stones and IShowSpeed. Pop Album News: Sara Bareilles announced her first studio album in seven years, Good Grief (Aug. 28), and a fall tour, with “Home” as the lead single. Rock/Metal Spotlight: Evanescence’s Amy Lee says her son, 11, is hooked on metal after seeing her band with Metallica on the M72 run, and she’s gearing up for Sanctuary (out Friday). Local Music Culture: Hyderabad’s “bhajan jamming” is turning devotional singing into concert-style weekend events. Community & Live Shows: Peoria’s first Juneteenth celebration lands June 20 with The String Queens, and Peoria residents can reserve free tickets. Industry Watch: A LocalCircles survey says Indian music streaming apps are using dark patterns—like tricky auto-renewals and hard-to-cancel flows—to push subscriptions.

FIFA World Cup soundtrack: YouTube creator IShowSpeed’s viral “Champions” has been officially added to the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album, cementing the internet-to-stadium crossover. Album/artist rollout: Charli XCX shared details and the cover for “Music, Fashion, Film,” due July 24, with John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese in the artwork. New music drops: Da-iCE’s Sota Hanamura released his pre-debut solo set “ASCEEENSION,” while Shinedown unveiled “Young Again” from EI8HT. Indie & alt: Mountain Grass Unit announced debut album “Appalachian Smoke” (Aug. 28) and shared an EP preview; French Dogs returned with “Here’s to Pretending.” Local live music: La Crosse Confluence headlines Moon Tunes, and Northampton gets “Frank – A Celebration of Ol’ Blue Eyes” plus an Always Jovi Bon Jovi tribute this September. Music business: Seeker Music acquired Simon Raymonde’s Cocteau Twins publishing catalog. Music culture: A Luminate study says younger listeners are increasingly favoring ’90s-and-earlier music over newer releases.

Big Pop Video Drop: Ariana Grande released “hate that i made you love me,” starring Justin Long, as the lead single from her upcoming album Petal (July 31). Major Album News: Ellie Goulding announced new single “Black Prada Dress” (out Friday) and her sixth studio album I Know Too Much (Sept. 4). Live-Music Business: The Showtime Group is scaling up with investment from Antamar Capital Partners, building “repertoire-led” live formats for venues and orchestras. Songwriter Pay Debate: Prescription Songs’ Rhea Pasricha Kullas argues writers are getting “the short end of the stick,” pushing for fairer monetization as AI reshapes the industry. Touring & Festivals: Prague Open Air returns with 20 summer concerts across two venues, including Kosheen and Dropkick Murphys. Local Scene Spotlight: Halifax’s Piece Hall’s record-breaking “Live at The Piece Hall” summer series kicks off June 6 with Shed Seven. Loss: Peabo Bryson, the voice behind Disney classics like “A Whole New World,” died at 75 after a stroke.

Charli XCX Album News: Charli XCX has officially set her next era, announcing Music, Fashion, Film for July 24 with 11 tracks and cover art featuring John Cale, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese. Pop Charts Watch: Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Cure” debuts at No. 5 on the Hot 100 and tops the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, signaling big momentum for her upcoming album. Techno Festival Buzz: Anyma will make his first-ever Canadian appearance, headlining West Vancouver’s Soulrise Music Festival with his ÆDEN show at Ambleside Park on Aug. 29. Local Music & Community: DeKalb’s inaugural Juneteenth Community Festival brings free live music and culture to Van Buer Plaza on June 19. Music Education Spotlight: Diamond Ridge High School is running a rock band class built around guitar and drums, with students tackling “Free Bird.” Band Updates: Alternative rock group Sleep Alley has disbanded after the death of vocalist Aly Pagaduan. Live Music Calendar: iHeartRadio Music Festival 2026 lineup is set for Sept. 18-19 in Las Vegas, featuring BTS, Cardi B, Kenny Chesney, Lainey Wilson, Snoop Dogg, and more.

Pop Ticket Buzz: Gracie Abrams’ “Daughter From Hell” era is ramping up with UK/Irish tour dates for 2027 and general sale tickets set for June 5. Global Tour Watch: BTS added a second Melbourne stop for its “Arirang” run (Feb. 10, 2027) and will also drop a special “Arirang” vinyl edition with two bonus tracks ahead of its 13th anniversary. Album/Release News: Charli XCX announced “Music, Fashion, Film” for July 24, with John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese on the cover. Big Screen Crossover: Taylor Swift confirmed an original “Toy Story 5” song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” arriving June 5. Live Music & Community: A benefit is set for Tripwire guitarist “Diamond Dave” ahead of a kidney transplant, while local series like Music in the Park keep free shows rolling. Controversy: The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson faced boos after mocking a “USA” chant in Tampa. Industry Moves: Merlin promoted Emma Robinson to VP of partnerships. New Sound Therapy: Steven Halpern launched a 432 Hz Sound Therapy Series. Local Scene: Puregold’s “OPM Con Generations” lines up SB19, Ben&Ben, Flow G and more for July 11 in Manila.

Pop Crossover: Taylor Swift drops a Toy Story 5 sequel song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” releasing June 5. K-pop Breakthrough: Jennie’s “Dracula” remix lands on Billboard’s Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, marking a major solo milestone. Hip-Hop Charts: Drake’s ICEMAN returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with “Janice STFU” driving momentum. Album Spotlight: Xavi’s Dosis leans into Spanish pop and corridos/cumbia norteña energy while tackling toxic love and healing. New Music Business: Apple Music may be testing a freemium-style tier that limits skips, according to Android beta strings. Touring & Live: Phoebe Bridgers adds an all-ages Madison Square Garden pop-up on June 4 with $1 tickets via lottery; Rostam talks American Stories and the creative process behind it. Theater & Stage: Tony Awards nominations are out ahead of June 7, with new musicals leading the pack. Local Pride: Queer musical Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal returns for Pride month with auditions June 7-9 in Quezon City.

Queer Stage Revival: “Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal” returns for its 20th anniversary with open auditions June 7–9 in Quezon City, asking hopefuls for 16 bars plus a short comedy monologue. Global Music Crossover: Stornoway heads to Durban to record a new album with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, aiming for a shared sound built on cultural exchange. AI + Songwriting Reality Check: Samuel Smith says Parkinson’s forced him off guitar, so he used AI tools to make demos for “Horizon” on his album “The Art of Letting Go.” Pop Video Buzz: Ariana Grande drops the “Hate That I Made You Love Me” video after teasing it with a countdown; the “Petal” era is set for July 31. Tour/Legacy Watch: Mick Jagger confirms the Rolling Stones plan to tour again, but not in 2026; meanwhile, Paul McCartney continues teasing new work and reflections on the Beatles. Community Music: Hyderabad’s no-pressure singing jamming sessions are turning strangers into friends. Local Culture: Stereo Planet reopens in downtown Bend with listening sessions and a vinyl/CD-focused comeback.

International Music Awards: Music Awards Japan is expanding its International Special Award into a more “global” honor for Asian artists, with Lola Amour (Philippines) cited as the inaugural winner and this year’s push aimed at deeper cross-country collaboration. Theater & Live Music: The 2026 Gawad Buhay awards led with “Kisapmata” and “Side Show,” each racking up 14 nominations ahead of the July 28 ceremony in Pasay. Touring Spotlight: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band closed their Land of Hope and Dreams run in Philadelphia with a pointed, hope-over-fear message. K-pop Milestone: BTS’s “ARIRANG” hit BRIT Gold certification in the UK in record time, reinforcing the album’s chart dominance. Community Fundraiser: Victoria’s Lot Jam festival debuts June 13 at Hoyne Brewing to raise money for families affected by childhood cancer. Local Music News: Foxwarren (led by Andy Shauf) lands at Meaford Hall July 5 for an intimate show. Health & Awareness: A Sacramento Christian rapper is filming a fentanyl awareness video after local overdose deaths.