Charlie Puth‘s night at Madison Square Garden featured a handful of big names as surprise guests, and Billboard was on the ground to capture some of those moments on video.
Puth headlined the famed New York City concert venue Friday night (May 29) as part of his Whatever’s Clever World Tour, which kicked off just over a month ago in support of his 2026 Whatever’s Clever! album. The show saw him welcome Art Garfunkel, Jimmy Fallon, Busta Rhymes and Kirk Franklin to the stage to perform with him during a 23-song set.
First surprise of the show: an appearance from Art Garfunkel for a heartfelt duet with Puth on Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer,” a Hot 100 top 10 hit in 1969 that was a track on the duo’s final studio album, Bridge Over Troubled Water. “He learned how to make his records from me and Paul,” Garfunkel told the New York crowd on Friday. “You’re my student.”
Puth agreed: “I am your student. I’m not just saying that because all these wonderful people are here. The reason that I’m here right now is because of the music you’ve written with Paul. It’s amazing.”
Midway through Puth’s set, Jimmy Fallon, wearing sunglasses, joined the singer for an ’80s hit, Toto’s “Africa” — their biggest single, a No. 1 on the chart in 1983. After sharing a quick hug, Fallon presented the night’s star with a custom New York Rangers jersey with “PUTH” and the number 26 across its back.
Keeping the mid-show energy on the rise, the next unexpected guest on Puth’s stage was Busta Rhymes bringing a classic from the early 2000s, “Break Ya Neck,” and one from the late ’90s, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” — plus a slightly more recent hit, “Look at Me Now,” the 2011 Chris Brown single Busta featured on alongside Lil Wayne.
The rapper closed with leading the city in a round of cheers for his host: “New York City, please make some noise for our brother, your brother, the incredible Charlie Puth.”
Even more entertainment was to come. Kirk Franklin arrived to give spirited performances with Puth of two of his own songs, “I Smile” and “Lean On Me,” and a cover of gospel group God’s Poperty’s “Stomp.”
Puth’s tour continues Saturday night (May 30) in Atlantic City, N.J., before heading south. He’s set to perform across the U.S. through mid-June, then head overseas for a European leg.
Killswitch Engage have added a second Melbourne show to their 2026 Australian and New Zealand tour after the first date sold out in under two weeks — the latest sign that demand for the Massachusetts metalcore veterans is as strong as ever in a region they haven’t headlined since 2018.
The new show at the Forum falls on Monday, Nov. 9 — the night before the already-sold-out Nov. 10 date. Tickets for the added show and all remaining tour dates are available now via SBM Presents.
The run marks Killswitch Engage’s first headline tour of Australia and New Zealand since 2018 and their first visit to the region since September 2024, when they opened for Iron Maiden. British metal outfit Sylosis join as special guests across all dates — the Reading, England act made their Australian debut at Soundwave in 2013, returned for their first headline tour of the country in 2025, and arrive this time on the back of their latest album The New Flesh, released in February 2026.
The tour supports This Consequence, Killswitch Engage’s ninth studio album, released in February 2025 and their first since Atonement in 2019. Its lead single “I Believe” became the band’s first song to crack the top 10 of the U.S. Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, peaking at No. 4 and marking a commercial milestone for a group whose fanbase has remained loyal across more than two decades without ever fully crossing into mainstream radio territory.
Formed in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1999, Killswitch Engage are widely credited as one of the architects of modern metalcore — a genre that has since spawned generations of bands and remains one of the most commercially viable corners of heavy music. Their 2002 debut Alive or Just Breathing, recorded with then-vocalist Jesse Leach, is still considered a genre landmark. The End of Heartache (2004) — recorded with Howard Jones, who had replaced Leach — debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Disarm the Descent (2013) — their first album with Leach back on vocals after Jones departed in 2012 — debuted at No. 7, and Incarnate (2016) reached No. 6, their career-best Billboard 200 position to date. Across their career they have earned three Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance — in 2005, 2014 and 2019 — and accumulated billions of streams, while sharing stages with Iron Maiden, Slayer, Slipknot, Mastodon, My Chemical Romance and Parkway Drive.
The Melbourne sellout continues a strong run of momentum for the band in Australia, where metalcore has long maintained a dedicated and vocal live following. With one Forum show already gone and the second expected to move quickly, fans in other cities are advised to secure tickets soon.
Killswitch Engage — Australia & New Zealand 2026 (with Sylosis)
Oct. 31 — Auckland, NZ — Powerstation
Nov. 1 — Wellington, NZ — Meow Nui
Nov. 3 — Brisbane, AUS — Fortitude Music Hall
Nov. 6 — Sydney, AUS — Enmore Theatre
Nov. 7 — Wollongong, AUS — Waves
Nov. 9 — Melbourne, AUS — Forum (new show)
Nov. 10 — Melbourne, AUS — Forum (sold out)
Nov. 12 — Adelaide, AUS — Hindley Street Music Hall
BABYMETAL have released “from me to u (Jordan Fish Remix),” the second preview from their forthcoming METAL FORTH (DELUXE EDITION), due June 26 via Capitol Records.
Fish — keyboardist and producer best known for his decade-long tenure with Bring Me The Horizon — delivers the latest reworking of “from me to u (feat. Poppy),” following a Major Lazer remix released last month.
The deluxe edition expands the original METAL FORTH with three live performances and both remixes, and will be available digitally and on a limited zoetrope vinyl pressing that brings ten album icons to life in motion.
The release arrives alongside news of BABYMETAL’s 2026 World Tour, spanning North America and Latin America. The North American leg launches on Aug. 30 in San Diego, where the band will open for My Chemical Romance, before headlining their own run with support from Halestorm and Violent Vira. In Latin America, the band will play their first-ever stadium show in Mexico City, supported by I Prevail and Bilmuri. Tickets are on sale now.
METAL FORTH debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 upon its release last year, marking the group’s first U.S. top 10 album and the first time in history that an all-Japanese fronted act has broken into that tier of the chart. The album moved 36,000 equivalent album units in its first week — of which 33,500 were pure album sales — amassed over 200 million global streams, debuted at No. 10 on Spotify’s Top Albums Debut U.S. chart, and landed at No. 2 on the U.S. iTunes Download Album chart.
Internationally, it reached the top 10 in Germany — a career-best, improving on No. 24 for THE OTHER ONE and No. 18 for METAL GALAXY — and broke the top 20 in the U.K., with career-high positions also recorded in the Netherlands and France.
Formed in Tokyo in 2010, BABYMETAL — fronted by SU-METAL, MOAMETAL and MOMOMETAL — built their following through explosive live shows before breaking internationally, opening for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn and Lady Gaga en route to becoming one of the most distinctive and widely followed acts in global metal.
Brandon Lake was a double winner at the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards, which premiered on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) and the TBN+ app on Friday (May 29). (An encore showing is scheduled for Friday June 5).
Lake, 35, won both artist of the year and male artist of the year. Gospel legend CeCe Winans, 61, took the award for female artist of the year.
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MercyMe, which formed 32 years ago, won group of the year.
The K-LOVE Fan Awards, now in their 13th year, honors artists, songs and performances in Christian music, as well as recognizing achievements in television, film, books, sports and digital media. This year’s show was taped at Nashville’s Opry House on May 24. It was co-hosted by Sadie Robertson Huff and Lauren Daigle. Robertson won the podcast impact award for Whoa That’s Good. Daigle was shut out despite three nominations.
Jamie MacDonald won song of the year for “Left It in the River,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart. Phil Wickham won worship song for “Homesick for Heaven,” which reached No. 8 on that chart.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2026 K-LOVE Fan Awards, with winners marked.
Artist of the year
WINNER: Brandon Lake CeCe Winans Elevation Worship Jamie MacDonald Jeremy Camp Josiah Queen Lauren Daigle MercyMe Phil Wickham TobyMac
Male artist of the year
Ben Fuller WINNER: Brandon Lake Chris Tomlin Jeremy Camp Jon Reddick Josiah Queen Matthew West Phil Wickham Seph Schlueter Tauren Wells
Female artist of the year
Anne Wilson Blanca WINNER: CeCe Winans Emerson Day Hope Darst Jamie MacDonald Katy Nichole Lauren Daigle Leanna Crawford Terrian
Group of the year
CAIN Caleb & John Elevation Rhythm Elevation Worship for King & Country WINNER: MercyMe Passion We the Kingdom
Song of the year
“Can’t Steal My Joy”– Josiah Queen/Brandon Lake “Get Behind Me”– Emerson Day “Heaven On My Mind”– TobyMac WINNER: “Left It In the River”– Jamie MacDonald “Let It Be a Hallelujah”– Lauren Daigle “Make It Well”– MercyMe “No Fear”– Jon Reddick “No Survivors”– Jeremy Camp “The Love I Have For You” – Colton Dixon “Wait For Me” – Zach Williams “What an Awesome God”– Phil Wickham “Won’t Start Now”– Seph Schlueter
Worship song
“Alleluia”– Elevation Worship WINNER: “Homesick for Heaven”– Phil Wickham “How Good It Is”– Chris Tomlin “Mighty Name of Jesus”– Hope Darst & Josh Baldwin “The Lord Will Provide”– Passion “Washed”– Elevation Rhythm
Breakout single
“All Joy”– Natalie Layne WINNER: “Get Behind Me”– Emerson Day “I Need You”– Jet Trouble “Somebody’s Praying”– Bay Turner “Stay”– Zahriya Zachary “Where Would I Be”– Peter Burton “Why Should I Worry”– Carly Anne Taylor
Film impact
David WINNER: I Can Only Imagine 2 Light of the World Sarah’s Oil Soul on Fire The King of Kings The Last Rodeo Truth & Treason
TV/Streaming impact
Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey WINNER: House of David: Season 2Miracle Testament The Chosen Adventures The Promised Land Virgin Birth
Podcast impact
Back Porch Theology – Lisa Harper Girls Gone Bible – Angela Halili & Arielle Reitsma Hey! It’s the Lusko’s – Levi & Jennie Lusko Livin’ the Bream – Shannon Bream The Bible Recap –Tara-Leigh Cobble The Bryce Crawford Podcast – Bryce Crawford There Is More Podcast – Karen McAdams & Rachel Faulkner Brown WINNER: Whoa That’s Good – Sadie Robertson Huff
Book impact
And She Got Up – Courtney Pray Duke Beloved – Francis Chan Blessed Are the Spiraling – Levi Lusko WINNER: Hey Girl – Anne Wilson Jesus Shaped Life – Lisa Harper Joy Bomb – Tauren Wells Tame Your Thoughts – Max Lucado We’re So Blessed – CAIN
Sports impact
WINNER: Robert Anthony Cruz “Coach RAC”- Savannah Bananas
It’s been quite the remarkable few years for Megan Moroney. Since releasing her debut album three years ago, she’s quickly risen to the top ranks of the most popular women in country music with such hits as “Tennessee Orange,” “Am I Okay,” “Six Months Later” and “Beautiful Things.”
In March, her third studio set, Cloud 9, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart, making it the first country album by a woman to reach the pinnacle on the chart since Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter in April 2024, and making her only the 10th women to top the chart with a country album this century.
She followed that with receiving nine nominations for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards, the most nods received by an artist in a single year.
On Friday night (May 29), the Emo Cowgirl reached another first: kicking off her first arena headlining tour with a sold-out show at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. Just as she kept all her outfits in different shades of blue for 2025’s Am I Okay outing, Cloud 9 brought out all manner of pink costumes, including a pink sparkly short onesie with silver fringe and a delicate sheer light pink gown with silver appliques.
The energetic show drew from all her albums, but focused largely on Cloud 9, with 15 of the 23 songs coming from the set. In her surprise song slot, she slid in “Hair Salon,” which has now become a fan favorite since it came out on her 2022 EP, Pistol Made of Roses.
The tour moves to Indianapolis Saturday (May 30) and then two sold-out nights at Chicago’s United Center. The U.S. leg concludes at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Aug. 21-22 before heading to Europe.
The Grammy winner — who’s getting ready to release his fourth studio album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales, in July — has revealed the release date for his upcoming single “Cowgirl,” while teasing that Bravo star Ciara Miller will join him in the music video.
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He shared a short preview on social media, offering a glimpse of the video’s Western-inspired aesthetic while the song’s chorus played in the background. In the clip, he and Miller dance together, dressed in coordinated cowboy and cowgirl attire.
“They say behind every outlaw is a cowgirl twice as dangerous. ‘Cowgirl’ out 6/5,” reads the caption on Shaboozey’s Instagram and X posts. On Instagram, he collaborated on the post with Miller, who later shared it to her Stories and confirmed the news with the simple message: “I’m the cowgirl.”
The video perfectly fits the theme for Shaboozey’s upcoming The Outlaw Cherie Lee album, which comes out July 31 and is the follow-up to his breakout 2024 project Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going. Over the past two years, he’s delivered a string of hits, starting with his monster single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which set a new benchmark by spending more time at No. 1 on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart than any song before it and spending 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The success of “A Bar Song” also cemented Shaboozey’s place in music history, making him the first performer to reach the top 10 simultaneously on Country Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, and Rhythmic Airplay charts. Additionally, it became only the second song by a Black artist to lead both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs chart.
Miller has also been making recent headlines, as her Summer House castmates Amanda Batula and West Wilson confessed back in March to having a secret relationship behind the backs of West’s ex-girlfriend (and Amanda’s alleged best friend) Ciara and Amanda’s ex-husband Kyle Cooke. The illicit relationship drew the ire of Summer Housefans and loud support for Miller, with HAIM’s Alana Haim even appearing on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live wearing a “Team Ciara” T-shirt last month.
Watch Shaboozey and Miller dance to “Cowgirl” together below:
