Category: Music

Sphere Entertainment has announced plans to open its second venue in the United States.

On Sunday (Jan. 18), the company behind Las Vegas’ state-of-the-art, orb-shaped Sphere revealed it will build a smaller-scale version at National Harbor in Maryland, a major tourism destination just outside Washington, D.C.

“Our focus has always been on creating a global network of Spheres across forward-looking cities,” James Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, said in a statement.

The proposed 6,000-seat venue in Prince George’s County would be the second Sphere location in the U.S., compared with 17,600 seats at the Las Vegas Sphere. While smaller, the new venue will feature an exterior “Exosphere” LED display, and the company says its interior theater will be the “world’s highest-resolution LED display.”

The project — a partnership with the state of Maryland, Prince George’s County, and Peterson Companies — will be funded through a combination of public and private investment, including roughly $200 million in state, local and private incentives. Once open, it’s projected to host year-round entertainment and generate $1 billion annually.

“Sphere is a new experiential medium,” Dolan added. “With a commitment to bringing innovative opportunities to residents and visitors, Governor Moore, County Executive Braveboy, the State of Maryland, and Prince George’s County recognize the potential for a Sphere at National Harbor to elevate and advance immersive experiences across the area.”

The upcoming Sphere in Maryland will be the third planned location, following the original venue in Las Vegas and another proposed for Abu Dhabi.

Since opening in 2023, the Las Vegas Sphere has hosted a star-studded lineup of musical acts, including U2, Phish and Eagles, as well as immersive productions like a new adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. The venue ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Venue chart for buildings with a capacity of 15,000 or more, grossing $370 million from 105 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Jacob Alon has been crowned The BRIT Awards’ Critics’ Choice winner for 2026.

The Scottish singer-songwriter (Island) emerges victorious over fellow shortlisted nominees Sienna Spiro (Capitol Records) and Rose Gray (Polydor) in the race for the coveted trophy which recognizes stars at an early stage of their career. 

The award was introduced in 2008 and won by Adele. Other previous winners include Florence + the Machine (2009), Ellie Goulding (2010), Sam Smith (2014), Sam Fender (2019), and The Last Dinner Party (2024). 

Myles Smith was the most recent recipient of the prize (2025) which was known as the Rising Star Award from 2020 onwards; it will revert back to its original name for the 2026 ceremony. To be eligible, artists must not have yet achieved a top 20 album or more than one top 20 single on the Official U.K. Charts as of Oct. 31, 2025. The award is selected by the 1,200 members of the BRITs Voting Academy.

Alon will collect the prize at the ceremony held on Feb. 28. The ceremony will take place at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, the first time that the show has been held outside of London during its nearly 50 year history.

“Taing mhòr to the critics for recognising my work for this award, you absolute dotes! In the wee town where I grew up in Scotland, it often felt like there was a limit to how high you could dare to dream. So being part of something like this makes me feel like I’m floating far above the sky,” Alon said in a statement.

They added, “In a world full of broken and rusted jaggy edges, I’m grateful to find a place for softness still. And I will keep fighting for it. I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully this means some more beautiful people might find something in my album. Thank you to anyone who has ever listened.”

Alon released their debut album In Limerence to critical acclaim in May 2025. The LP was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize (though lost out to Sam Fender’s People Watching) and appeared on Billboard U.K.’s albums of the year list for 2025.

In an interview on his Rocket Hour radio show, Elton John heaped praise on Alon saying, “I can’t think of anyone who sounds like you for a long time,” and that they were “destined for big things.”

Speaking to Billboard U.K., the 24-year-old discussed the numerous challenges they faced during their adolescence, including accepting their queer identity and navigating a period of near-homelessness, and how those experiences informed the songs on In Limerence. “I just feel so proud of myself for not ever giving up. It can be hard to exist in a world with so much pain,” they said.

Comedian Jack Whitehall will return to host the ceremony for the sixth time. Performer announcements and nominations are due in the coming weeks.

Dolly Parton Day will officially be observed on Jan. 19 in the state of Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee has announced.

Gov. Lee proclaimed the tribute to Dolly Parton — honoring “her lifetime of achievement, service, and positive impact” — in coordination with the country music legend’s 80th birthday, which falls on Monday, Jan. 19.

“Dolly Parton, born on January 19, 1946, in Sevier Country, is a native Tennessean whose extraordinary life and career have brought pride to the State of Tennessee,” reads the state leader’s official notice of Dolly Parton Day, published by the Tennessee Department of State.

Gov. Lee’s proclamation highlights the star’s accomplishments, both professional and philanthropic, and how she’s affected the lives of Tennesseans.

“Dolly Parton is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, musician, actress, producer, and entrepreneur whose body of work embodies the spirit of Tennessee; and throughout her remarkable career, Dolly Parton has earned numerous awards and accolades and is widely regarded as one of the most influential and beloved artists in the history of American music; and in addition to her artistic accomplishments, Dolly Parton has demonstrated an enduring commitment to philanthropy and service, most notably through the Dollywood Foundation and the Imagination Library, which began in Tennessee and has provided hundreds of millions of free books to children around the world, helping to promote early childhood literacy and educational opportunity; and Dolly Patton’s generosity, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others exemplify the values of the Volunteer State and serve as an inspiration to Tennesseans and people worldwide,” the proclamation says.

The proclamation issued through the Tennessee Department of State can be read in full here.

Jan. 19, 2026 marks a milestone birthday for Parton, the legendary singer-songwriter and performer whose 25 No. 1s on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart have spanned a career across four decades (and counting).

Parton’s latest musical release is a new rendition of her 1977 hit “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” featuring colleagues/collaborators Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, Queen Latifah and Miley Cyrus. Net proceeds from the song benefit the pediatric cancer research program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville.

THE SIN: VANISH, the new mini concept album — or “mystery-show” album — from ENHYPEN, tops this week’s fan-voted music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Jan. 16) on Billboard, choosing the septet’s cinematic collection rooted in vampire mythology as their favorite new drop.

THE SIN: VANISH was released in a week that also saw new music streaming in from Madison Beer, A$AP Rocky, Mitski, Megan Moroney and more. Support for ENHYPEN came in strong, with fans bringing the 11-track work to a win with 68% of the vote.

ENHYPEN’s Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon and Ni-Ki delivered THE SIN: VANISH, led by the song “Knife,” on Friday. The concept album — available in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese-language versions — is the group’s “most immersive and narratively driven chapter to date,” as described in a press statement, an experimental piece of art that digs into the world of vampire lovers and “the fragile balance between desire and consequence in a world bound by unbreakable rules” with music and narration.

Though THE SIN: VANISH is meant to be heard from start to finish, “Knife,” its lead track and the start of the lovers’ escape, was highlighted by a music video release on Friday.

Among the new releases trailing behind THE SIN: VANISH are Madison Beer’s locket (with 20% of the vote), A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb (with 4% of the vote) and Mitski’s “Where’s My Phone?” (with 2% of the vote).

See the final results of this week’s poll below.

Green Day will open the 2026 Super Bowl with an opening ceremony performance on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The East Bay band’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool will kick off this year’s Super Bowl festivities with “their most iconic rock anthems,” the NFL announced Sunday (Jan. 17). Though viewers will have to tune in to the show to see what they’ll play, the punk-rock trio’s collection of hits to pull from span the mid-’90s through today, beginning with breakthrough single “Basket Case” from their classic 1994 album Dookie.

The opening ceremony — celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history and honoring Super Bowl MVPs — airs live on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 8) at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Universo, ahead of the big game.

“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard!” Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong said in a statement released by the NFL. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!”

“Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL Legends who’ve helped define this sport is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl LX,” said Tim Tubito, NFL senior director, event and game presentation. “As we work alongside NBC Sports for this opening ceremony, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world.”

Green Day’s performance at the Super Bowl opening ceremony precedes the NFL’s previously announced pregame entertainment lineup. Before the game begins, Charlie Puth will perform the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will sing “America the Beautiful” and Coco Jones will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Bad Bunny headlines this year’s Super Bowl halftime show. The Puerto Rican superstar and Apple Music released a teaser trailer on Friday, promising “the world will dance.” Bunny’s Debi Tirar Mas Fotos ruled the Billboard 200 chart for four weeks last year, and his world tour in support of the album is already breaking records — grossing $107 million across 697,000 tickets sold across just the first 12 shows of the eight-month trek.

Bruce Springsteen delivered a pointed message to ICE during a surprise appearance at a benefit concert over the weekend.

On Saturday (Jan. 17), the 76-year-old music icon — a longtime critic of President Donald Trump — made an unannounced performance at the 2026 Light of Day Winterfest, held at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey.

When introducing his 1978 song “The Promised Land,” The Boss addressed the Trump administration with candid remarks.

“I wrote this song as an ode to American possibility,” Springsteen said. “Right now we are living through incredibly critical times. The United States, the ideals and the values for which it stood for the past 250 years, is being tested like it has never been in modern times. Those values and those ideals have never been as endangered as they are right now.”

He continued, “If you believe in the power of law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily-armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, as the mayor of the city said: ICE should get the f—k out of Minneapolis. This song is for you and the memory of the mother of three and an American citizen, Renee Good.”

The Light of Day Winterfest, an annual nonprofit event that raises funds to combat Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, also featured performances by the Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik, Dramarama, Willie Nile, Joe D’Urso & the Stone Caravan, the James Maddock Band, Williams Honor, Fantastic Cat, and Low Cut Connie.

Springsteen’s onstage statement comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE officer Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis earlier in the month. Good, 37, was shot while in her car during an ICE operation. Footage from the incident shows that seconds before the shooting, Good attempted to drive away. Officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said she was trying to “run over” the officer.

Following Good’s death, music artists like Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews and Duran Duran spoke out against ICE, while Minneapolis residents mourned her and protested the agency’s presence in the city. Mayor Jacob Frey called for federal agents to leave, saying, “This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed.”

This is not Springsteen’s first critique of the Trump administration. In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times in June 2025, the singer-songwriter criticized the former president’s leadership and the impact of his policies on the social fabric of the country.

“It’s an American tragedy,” he said. “I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialization of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue. And while I can’t believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people.”