Kylie Minogue is popular enough in her home country to spark a genuine political controversy — just ask Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who issued a public apology Monday (July 6) after nominating Minogue for all three categories in a “shag, marry, date” game on a comedy podcast.
Albanese appeared on the Bush Deep podcast with comedian Nikki Osborne in an interview released last week that also covered his dog and gifts from world leaders.
When Osborne pushed Albanese — married to Jodie Haydon for six months — into placing Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore into the categories, he initially resisted before landing on Minogue for the sweep.
“Kylie, clearly,” he said, before confirming: “all of the above… She’s terrific.” Osborne also asked whether Albanese and his wife were “bonking like rabbits,” to which he replied: “Well, when we have time. After the footy. It’s always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths win.”
The comments drew criticism over the weekend from politicians across the aisle, including independent MP Zali Steggall, who told The Australian it was “entirely inappropriate for the prime minister to participate in such a game” and that he should have “push[ed] back, le[d] by example and call[ed] it out as sexist.” Liberal shadow minister Sarah Henderson called the remarks “disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians, and demean the office of Prime Minister,” while Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg said they were “beneath his office.”
Albanese’s office responded Monday morning with a one-line statement: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.” Labor minister Tanya Plibersek defended him without having heard the interview, telling Channel Seven that being “a fan of Kylie Minogue… puts him in a group with millions of other Australians, including me.”
Acting PM Richard Marles noted the podcast format was simply “different” from Albanese’s usual media appearances, pointing to the government’s gender-equality record in cabinet and caucus representation.
Minogue remains one of the most enduring artists in Billboard chart history. She first hit the Hot 100 in 1988 with “The Loco-Motion” (No. 3, 27 weeks on the chart) and returned to the top 10 in 2002 with “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” (No. 7, 20 weeks), the lead single from Fever, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — her career-best chart placement.
She has logged 11 total titles on the Billboard 200, including 2010’s Aphrodite (No. 19), and 18 entries on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, among them “Dance Alone” with Sia (No. 8). Her 2023 comeback single “Padam Padam” peaked at No. 7 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and became the first track to win the Grammy for Best Pop Dance Recording; it also reached No. 32 on Pop Airplay, her first appearance on that chart in nearly two decades. She is also set to headline the AFL Grand Final in September.
Dizzee Rascal is returning to Australia and New Zealand this November and December for the We Want Bass tour, joined by U.K. dance act Example, rapper Arrdee and Perth DJ Swaglord Savannah across seven shows.
The tour opens at Perth HPC on Nov. 26 and moves through Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Byron Bay before closing at Auckland’s Shed 10 on Dec. 8. Support lineups vary by city: Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney get the full four-artist bill, while Adelaide and Auckland feature only Arrdee, and Byron Bay features only Swaglord Savannah. Mastercard and Live Nation presales run July 8-9, with general tickets on sale July 9 at 1 p.m. local time via livenation.com.au and livenation.co.nz.
Born Dylan Mills, Dizzee Rascal remains one of the most influential artists to emerge from London’s grime scene. His 2003 debut Boy in da Corner won the Mercury Prize, making him the youngest winner in the award’s history at 19 and the second rapper to take the prize after Ms. Dynamite the year before. The album is widely regarded as one of grime’s foundational texts.
His commercial peak came with 2009’s Tongue n’ Cheek, which produced four consecutive U.K. No. 1 singles — “Dance Wiv Me” with Calvin Harris, “Bonkers” with Armand Van Helden, “Holiday” and “Dirtee Disco” — and was certified double platinum. His 2010 collaboration with Shakira, “Loca,” topped charts across Europe and peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. He was appointed MBE in 2020 for services to music.
Example has built a near two-decade career as one of the U.K.’s most consistent rap-dance crossover acts. Arrdee broke through via his verse on Russ Millions and Tion Wayne’s U.K. No. 1 “Body Remix,” before his debut mixtape Pier Pressure reached No. 2 on the Official Albums Chart and No. 1 on the U.K. Streaming Chart.
Dizzee Rascal — We Want Bass Tour: Australia & New Zealand 2026
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
What’s in a name? That’s what soccer fans across North America have been asking as they’ve shown up in droves to attend the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
While the matches are being played across 16 popular stadiums in host cities across the continent, you’d be hard-pressed to find the original name of the stadium anywhere on the building — or anywhere in the vicinity for that matter. That’s because FIFA has banned the use of corporate-sponsored stadium names unless said company pays a usage fee — a fee which was presumably too high, since none of the stadiums kept their names for the six-week tournament. The end result: the 2026 World Cup venues are officially known by the major city they’re in (or closest to), leading to clunky naming conventions like “New York New Jersey Stadium” (instead of MetLife Stadium) in the Tri-State area, and “Los Angeles Stadium” instead of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Financial institution SoFi has brought out a number of musicians and celebrities to its suite in “Los Angeles Stadium” over the last few weeks, and while their branding has been covered up with black fabric on the stadium exterior and on the screens inside, the company says its goal in hosting guests at the World Cup is predicated on more than just a wordmark or logo.
“SoFi Stadium was built to be a global destination, and we’re proud to have been part of that vision from day one,” leads a statement from the company. “While FIFA has its own requirements for tournament venues, Angelenos and fans around the world know the stadium as SoFi Stadium and recognize its significance in Los Angeles. Ultimately, our branding extends beyond a sign on a stadium. It shows up in what SoFi is about: helping people achieve financial independence and realize their ambitions.”
Tim Chan
SoFi is also helping people realize some of their sporting dreams, welcoming musicians like Chloe Bailey and Nick Lachey, and actors Simu Liu, Chace Crawford and Sterling K. Brown to their VIP suite at SoFi — ahem — Los Angeles Stadium last month. While their logo and signage may have been covered at the stadium, SoFi branding was on full display inside their private suite, with guests receiving SoFi soccer scarves and blue and purple SoFi jerseys at their seats.
The invite-only experience also included an elevated dining experience for guests — think sushi, short rib and thai curry over hot dogs and burgers, while Tattinger champagne and Casmigos tequila flowed freely at the bar.
Bailey was spotted taking ‘fit pics to post to Instagram as she joined SoFi for the U.S. men’s national team’s kickoff game on June 12. Other celebrities in the suite for that game included Dylan Efron and Ginny & Georgia star, Brianne Howey, who were both seen celebrating and recording video of the crowd cheering after the U.S. defeated Paraguay by a score of 4-1.
Lachey, Crawford and Liu, meantime, were in the SoFi suite for the final U.S. group stage game, where the men’s team lost a close 3-2 decision to Turkiye. Love Is Blind host and 98 Degrees star Lachey proudly sang along to the national anthem before changing into a U.S. soccer jersey that he jokingly teased was “too tight” for his frame. Lachey and Liu also gamely posed for photos in the SoFi suite, which had a prime view of the soccer pitch below.
Per a press release, the World Cup experiences helped to showcase the “elevated access and benefits available through SoFi Plus,” a premium membership tier that unlocks higher interest rates, credit card perks, cashback deals and access to certified financial planners. Members can also unlock exclusive “SoFi Plus Experiences,” with expedited entry, discounted tickets and lounge access (where applicable) to big entertainment and sporting events. SoFi also used the events to promote its new crypto program, designed to make the decentralized digital currency more accessible to everyone.
Tim Chan
“As the World Cup continues in LA, we’re focused on showing up for our members, the local community and fans in ways that extend beyond the stadium itself,” the company says. “With the World Cup, the LA28 Olympic Games and next year’s Super Bowl, SoFi Stadium will continue to sit at the center of the biggest moments in sports and culture and continue to reflect SoFi’s mission.”
The Toy Story 5 soundtrack debuts in the top 10 across three Billboard album charts (dated July 4), including a No. 1 start on the Kid Albums tally. The set, led by Taylor Swift’s new original tune “I Knew It, I Knew You,” also enters at No. 2 on the Soundtracks chart, and at No. 9 on Independent Albums.
Related
ATEEZ Achieves Third No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ‘GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5’
Here’s Everything We Know About Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s Wedding So Far
Paul McCartney Revives Beatles Classic at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Wedding
The Toy Story 5 soundtrack, released via Pixar/Walt Disney Records and largely comprised of Randy Newman’s score, also enters at No. 67 on the overall Billboard 200 albums chart. That marks the highest-charting Toy Story album ever on that ranking. Previously, the first Toy Story soundtrack hit No. 94 in January 1996, while the Toy Story 2 soundtrack reached No. 111 in December 1999.
Released on June 19, the Toy Story 5 album was available on streaming services and to purchase as a digital download. A CD and vinyl release for the set is scheduled on Sept. 18.
The arrival of the Toy Story 5 album was preceded by the release of “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which galloped in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. It marked Swift’s 15th leader.
“I Knew It, I Knew You” also was just the third Hot 100 No. 1 from an animated Disney movie, and the first from its Pixar studio, following the ensemble song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Encanto, in 2022, and Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle’s duet “A Whole New World,” from Aladdin, in 1993.
JENNIE headlined the final night of Open’er Festival in Gdynia, Poland on Friday (July 4), delivering a 17-track set that included three unreleased songs and a clear signal that new music is imminent.
The BLACKPINK member performed “Lock It Down” — a dance-pop track about a “secret love affair” first previewed at Governors Ball last month — “Heaven,” an emotionally-charged song about heartbreak, and “Less Than A Lover,” a dreamy ballad she described as inspired by summer.
“It’s a song I wrote thinking about summer,” she told the crowd. “It feels really special to share new music with so many people. I really can’t wait to share this new music with you soon.”
The set drew heavily from her 2025 debut solo album Ruby, alongside her collaboration with Tame Impala, “Dracula,” and her collaboration with The Weeknd, “One of the Girls.” There were no BLACKPINK songs during the hour-long performance.
JENNIE has been on one of the most sustained chart runs of any K-pop solo artist in Billboard history. Her Tame Impala collaboration “Dracula” — originally released as a Tame Impala solo track last October before a duet version arrived in early February — has become one of 2026’s most dominant radio hits, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart dated July 11, a first for both artists.
The song has also peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it has held for 37 consecutive weeks as of mid-June. Ruby debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and produced five Hot 100 entries, making her the first female K-pop solo artist to place three songs on the chart simultaneously. She has logged six total Hot 100 entries as a soloist, the most of any female K-pop solo act. Ruby has surpassed 3 billion Spotify streams.
Open’er Festival’s fourth and final day also featured performances from Addison Rae, PinkPantheress and Jade, with headline sets across the weekend from Calvin Harris, Florence and the Machine, The Cure and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again has released AMERICAN YOUNGBOY, the concert film documenting his sold-out 42-date Make America Slime Again arena tour, on Prime Video through Prime Video Direct as of Friday (July 4).
The documentary — directed by Nico Ballesteros and distributed through YoungBoy’s own 38 Heights Film and Productions in partnership with Foundation Media Partners — moves between stage performances, backstage footage and personal moments across a tour that broke the record for the highest-grossing run by a debut headlining rapper. It marks YoungBoy’s first formal venture into filmmaking, and functions as both a concert document and a character study of one of the most prolific and polarising figures in contemporary rap.
The film first hit theatres in April, earning $1.84 million in its opening weekend, with the theatrical premiere selling out screens nationwide. Its arrival on Prime Video makes the film widely accessible for the first time, timed to coincide with the July 4 holiday weekend.
Born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he first appeared on the Billboard 200 in 2017 with the mixtape AI YoungBoy, which debuted at No. 24. In the eight years since, he has charted 34 albums on the Billboard 200 — the most of any rapper in the chart’s history, surpassing E-40’s previous record of 33, a mark E-40 accumulated over nearly three decades.
He has scored four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: AI YoungBoy 2 (2019), 38 Baby 2 (2020), Top (2020) and Sincerely, Kentrell (2021). In 2020, the back-to-back chart-topping debuts of 38 Baby 2 and Top made him only the second hip-hop act to peak the Billboard 200 three times in a single calendar year.
On the singles side, YoungBoy became the youngest artist in Billboard history to surpass 100 entries on the Hot 100, reaching the milestone at 23 in May 2023. His highest-charting single remains “Bandit” with the late Juice Wrld, which debuted at No. 10 in 2019 and has been certified six-times platinum by the RIAA.
AMERICAN YOUNGBOY is streaming now on Prime Video.
