Music

Zara Larsson leaves Epic to join RCA Records amid career surge

• Swedish pop artist Zara Larsson signed with RCA Records after over a decade with Epic Records
• Her recent commercial resurgence began with a viral feature last year and helped establish her as a major cultural presence in pop music
• Billboard named her the 2026 Women in Music Breakthrough artist, recognizing her chart and radio success across multiple tracks

The singer joins the label after more than a decade on Epic Records, also part of Sony Music.

I want to hold your hand

Paul McCartney reportedly performed the Beatles' 1963 hit "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, held on 3 July 2026 at Madison Square Garden. According to People, it was the first time McCartney had sung the song, the Beatles' first…

Footballers who also make music: a look at their side careers

From Rafael Leão to Memphis Depay, here are a few soccer stars who moonlight as singers and rappers

Xbox Game Pass falls short of targets, prompting layoffs at Microsoft studios

• Xbox Game Pass has underperformed, reaching ~30 million subscribers far below Microsoft's targets
• The subscriber shortfall has prompted layoffs across Xbox-owned studios including Obsidian Entertainment
• Job cuts affect staff at all career stages, from veteran employees to recently hired workers

Xbox Game Pass has underperformed significantly against Microsoft's expectations, with the service reaching only approximately 30 million subscribers—a substantial gap below the company's targets. The gap has prompted co

Obsidian hit by Microsoft Xbox layoffs despite avoiding earlier cuts

• Obsidian Entertainment, previously spared from Xbox layoffs, has now been affected by Microsoft's latest round of staff reductions
• The cuts impacted artists, designers, engineers, and writers across experience levels—from a 21-year veteran to employees hired just weeks prior
• Affected staff include notable developers who contributed to franchises like Fallout, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age

No news was not, in fact, good news.

Albanese apologises for lewd remarks about Kylie Minogue on podcast

• Australian PM apologized after making sexual comments about Kylie Minogue during a podcast celebrity game
• The "shag, marry or date" segment involved choices between Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore
• Albanese described his own remarks as inappropriate, acknowledging public concern about the nature of the comments

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stirred controversy after participating in a podcast segment where listeners posed a "shag, marry or date" game featuring pop star Kylie Minogue alongside Nicole Kidman and Rhon

New Music Releases and Upcoming Albums in 2026

• Pitchfork publishes a curated calendar tracking forthcoming music releases across multiple genres and formats
• Major label releases dominate the July–August 2026 window, featuring established and emerging artists
• The guide includes streaming and digital release dates updated regularly, with supplementary coverage in their Best New Music section

A regularly updated guide to the new albums, EPs, mixtapes, and projects getting released in the coming weeks and months

All 35 Guitarists Who Ever Played in Bob Dylan’s Band

• Bob Britt quit Dylan's touring band in June 2026 after displaying visible frustration, replaced by Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson
• Recent departure follows guitarist Doug Lancio's unexplained exit and brief tenure of jazz guitarist Julian Lage
• Dylan has cycled through approximately 35 guitarists over 61 years of touring

From Robbie Robertson and Tom Petty to Bob Britt and Julian Lage