Category: Music

Mother nature is the only force that can slow down AC/DC. The veteran Australian hard rockers were slated to play one of the last shows on their two-year, 90-date Power Up tour at Toronto’s Rogers Stadium on Sept. 16, but on Wednesday night (Sept. 9) the stadium announced that the show could not go on after the venue suffered major damage in a storm last week.

“We regret to announce that AC/DC’s show scheduled for Sept. 16, 2026 at Rogers Stadium in Toronto has been canceled due to damage the venue sustained following a severe weather event,” read a statement from the venue on X.

“The safety of our fans, artists, crew and venue staff remains our highest priority. Every effort was made to find potential solutions for the show to move forward in Toronto, but unfortunately we were unable to find an alternative venue that could accommodate everyone,” it continued, noting that fans who bought tickets through Ticketmaster will automatically receive a refund to their original payment method.

The statement revealed that after a “thorough assessment” of the stadium after last week’s extreme weather event — which resulted in wide swaths of seats getting tossed, twisted and ripped from their moorings and other damage to the venue — there was no way to stage the show. It described a “suspected microburst in the area” from a “100-year storm” that included extreme winds and heavy rainfall.

“In the days since, engineers have conducted a thorough assessment of the venue in coordination with the City of Toronto,” read the statement attributed to Kevin Mahoney, the DTN risk communicator team lead and an AMS-certified consulting meteorologist and the venue’s on-site meteorologist. “That work has determined that sections of the venue impacted by the storm will need to be removed and rebuilt.”

Wayne Zronik, president of business operations for Live Nation Canada also weighed in with a statement in which he said that canceling a concert is “never a decision we want to make.” He acknowledged that doing so is disappointing to everyone who was looking forward to AC/DC closing out the venue’s summer season. “Safety has to come first,” he said. “Our teams have been working closely with the city and our partners to understand the storm damage and what needs to happen next. The right decision is to make the time to remove and rebuild the affected parts of the stadium to ensure it is ready to welcome fans next summer.”

There are three gigs left on AC/DC’s tour, including a Saturday (Sept. 12) stop at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, a Sept. 25 stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the final show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sept. 29.

All he does is win! Billboard can exclusively announce that Ludacris is joining Chris Stapleton and Cindy Blackman Santana for Monday Night Football‘s signature opening with Phil Collins’ iconic 1981 hit “In the Air Tonight.”

“The second you hear that song, you know something big is coming,” Luda tells Billboard. “Teaming up with Chris and Cindy to bring a new energy to Monday Night Football was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for fans to experience it.”

In the new opening for Monday Night Football, Stapleton and Blackman Santana roll up together in a vehicle as a stage shows off her drum set and the country star’s silhouette. A hand then takes the mic. “Monday night magic/ Closing out the weekend/ Luda on the mic/ It’s football season!” the rapper-actor — who currently boasts 18 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits — rhymes to a frenzied crowd before Blackman Santana pounds out the unmistakeable drum fill from “In the Air Tonight.”

“Chris and Cindy have helped make ‘In the Air Tonight’ an integral part of the Monday Night Football experience over the last three seasons,” Julie McGlone, ESPN vp, production and executive producer of the In the Air Tonight project, said in a statement. “Adding Ludacris to the legacy MNF anthem brings a new dimension to the creative and continues our tradition of celebrating the intensity, anticipation and shared emotion of American sports culture, where music, competition and spectacle come together to make each game feel like a cultural event.”

The new segment will lead into each Monday Night Football match for the 2026 NFL season. This year also marks the fourth football season that the country star and the drumme have reimagined Collins’ Hot 100 No. 19 track for ESPN. They have previously also incorporated Snoop Dogg in 2023.

Watch the new spot below:

Billy Joel is finally opening up about how a diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus last year revealed the unexpected damage his concerts were causing to his brain. In an interview on his SiriusXM channel on Wednesday (Sept. 9), 77-year-old “Piano Man” singer described going to see a doctor after suffering from balance problems that made it feel like he was “on a boat.”

After giving him the diagnosis, his neurologists recommended implanting a shunt in his brain to reliever some of the pressure. “So I agreed to do the shunt,” Joel said, noting that he initially said he’d “pass” on the suggestion of the surgery that entailed drilling a hole through his skull to implant the shunt, in order to stop the progressive condition from getting worse.

“But then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles,” Joel said. “It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

And while he said his memory, balance and ability to function all improved after the procedure, the bad news was that his doctors also advised him to stop performing live because they said the physical effects of playing loud rock shows might cause further damage. “I realized, and the doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock ‘n’ roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show,” the singer said. “It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did and I realized that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now.”

And so, Joel canceled his planned 2025 tour dates due to the diagnosis and recovery from the condition that occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, pressing on the brain and affecting a number of abilities, including “thinking and concentration, memory, movement and more,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Taking his doctor’s orders to let his brain rest, Joel decided he needed to take a break from the road. “I gotta improve. They don’t want me to stress too much,” he said. So now he’s doing physical therapy and “whatever it is they tell me to do because I don’t want to lose it.” In addition, he described constantly “testing myself,” while assuring fans who’ve heard about his condition that he’s doing just fine. “I just want people to know, don’t worry about me,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here.”

Joel’s last full show before the break was on Feb. 22, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., where, near the end of his set, he did a microphone spin and then fell down during “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” which led to the diagnosis. The singer revealed the condition to fans three months later after canceling the rest of his planned gigs.

Since the diagnosis and surgery, Joel has only performed in public once, on Jan. 2, when he hopped on stage with a Billy Joel tribute band called Turnstiles at a show in Wellington. Fla., where he performed “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot” with the group. He was also in the audience at a March tribute fundraiser at Carnegie Hall featuring Rufus Wainwright, Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas, Matt Nathanson, Train’s Pat Monahan, Wyclef Jean and Mary Chapin Carpenter that raised more than $225,000 to support music education.

Listen to Joel discuss the surgery and recovery below.

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With the start of a new NFL season, 32 teams from across the United States compete for glory on the gridiron to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California at the end of the season.

How to Watch NFL 2026-27 Season Online, at a Glance:

When Does the 2026-27 NFL Season Start?

The NFL season starts on Wednesday (Sept. 9) with a rematch of Super Bowl LX with the New England Patriots taking on the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, with a start time of 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT. The season opener airs on NBC. Check out a complete 2026-27 NFL schedule here.

What TV Networks Feature the 2026-27 NFL Season?

NFL games broadcast across multiple networks, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network. Meanwhile, games are available to livestream on Prime Video, ESPN Unlimited, Paramount+, FOX One, Peacock and NFL+.

Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During the 2026-27 NFL Season?

NFL games are known for celebrity sightings, so it’s likely there may be a number of famous actors, actresses and recording artists in attendance. Artists have been known to appear at games in the past, include Kansas City Chiefs fan Taylor Swift, L.A. Rams fan Kendrick Lamar, Detroit Lions fans Eminem and Jack White, Pittsburgh Steelers fans Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, Arizona Cardinals fan Blake Shelton and others.

Where to Watch the 2026-27 NFL Season Online for Free

For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch football, if you don’t have cable, especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services, such as Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, also offer free trials, so you can watch games for free.

EDITOR’S PICK

DirecTV

Get 5-Day Free Trial

Comes with a five-day free trial.

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A subscription to DirecTV gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network, at $59.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterward). The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now. It comes with access to ESPN Unlimited too for even more ESPN networks.

600+ FREE CHANNELS

Sling TV

Get Sling TV

Sling Orange & Blue comes with 50+ broadcast and cable channels.

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Sling TV offers the Orange & Blue plan, which comes with ABC, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network. With more than 50 channels, the streaming plan goes for $69.99 per month. All plans come with a free cloud DVR and an extra 600 or so free channels too. Please note: Pricing and channel availability vary from market-to-market.

UNLIMITED DVR

FuboTV

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Fubo is an affordable option offering a five-day free trial for new users who sign up.

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Fubo starts at $63.99 for the first month ($88.99 per month afterward) with more than 220 channels, including local and cable, like ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network, that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers. And with a five-day free trial, you can watch for free, if you act fast and sign up now.

NO HIDDEN FEES

Hulu + Live TV

Get 3-day free trial

Comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited.

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Broadcast and cable networks ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network are all available to watch with Hulu + Live TV. Prices for the cable alternative start at $89.99 per month for more than 100 live channels, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no additional cost. Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one package.

INCLUDES CW SPORTS

ESPN Unlimited

Get espn unlimited here

Comes with all things ESPN.

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ESPN Unlimited is the official streaming platform for ESPN. A subscription includes instant access for $29.99 per month. However, you can save almost 17% off by purchasing an annual subscription for $299.99 per year. It features every ESPN network, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACC Network Extra — all in one streaming service. It even comes with CW Sports for more livestream games.

In addition to live sports, ESPN Unlimited has original programming to stream on demand. Although the service doesn’t offer a free trial, you can still watch ESPN Unlimited with a clever workaround to watch online for free. Learn more about how to get a free trial to access ESPN Unlimited here.

FREE TWO-DAY DELIVERY

Prime Video

Get 30-day Free Trial

One exclusive NFL game per week throughout the 2026-27 season.

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Thursday Night Football and the NFL Black Friday game are exclusively on Prime Video for subscribers only with prices starting at $8.99 per month. Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events, such as Black Friday in November, and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here.

STREAM ON 3 DEVICES AT ONCE

Paramount+

Get Paramount+

There are two plans to choose from: Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ Premium (with Showtime).

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Paramount+ has NFL games on CBS streaming online, as well as past seasons. If you don’t already have a Paramount+ subscription, the streaming service plan goes for $8.99 per month (or $89.99 per year). With Paramount+, you’ll get access to a wide selection of TV shows and movies, live sports, 24-hour news with CBS News and more.

Although it doesn’t offer a free trial anymore, you can get access to Paramount+ for just $1, if you sign up for Walmart+. The retailer’s rewards program offers access to Paramount+ at no extra cost, while Walmart+ also offers a 30-day trial to take the service out for a test drive.

ALL THINGS FOX

FOX One

Get 3-Day Free Trial

Prime Video Channel add-on.

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With prices starting at $19.99 per month, FOX One is your one-stop app for everything FOX has to offer, including streaming access to NFL games on FOX. It also includes FOX News, FOX Business, FOX Nation, FOX Weather, FOX Deportes and your local FOX broadcasting affiliate.

Prime Video has a three-day free trial available for Amazon Prime members, so you watch FOX One as an add-on to Amazon’s streaming service. Learn more about Prime Video and FOX One here.

THE OFFICIAL NBC STREAMER

Peacock

Get Peacock Premium

Starts at $10.99 per month.

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There are two different plans offered on Peacock: The Premium Plan for $10.99 per month or the Premium Plus Plan for $16.99 per month. If you’re looking to save, you can get 17% off when you do the annual plan for $109.99 per year or $169.99 per year, respectively. With the Premium Plan, it’s ad-supported and you’ll receive access to a wide range of movies, TV shows, originals, live sports from NBC Sports and live news from NBC News.

Peacock’s Premium Plus plan comes with everything in the Premium plan, no ads, your local NBC channel live and the ability to download and stream offline.

More Ways to Watch

For die-hard football fans, NFL+ has every game during the regular season, post-season, and even the Super Bowl. NFL+ starts at $6.99 per month month for the standard subscription, or $14.99 per month for NLF+ Premium. Additionally, with NFL+, fans can watch or listen to games live and on-demand, plus enjoy recaps and more.

If you’re overseas and you’d like to livestream internationally, you can sign up for a VPN, such as ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, NordVPN and PureVPN, which lets you access a number of streaming platforms, like the ones mentioned above, legally.

Starting on Wednesday (Sept. 9), the 2026-27 NFL season broadcast across on ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC and NFL Network. One of the best ways to watch games live is with DirecTV.

The opening dates for Dolly Parton‘s Nashville hotel and museum are just around the corner. The SongTeller Hotel and the Life of Many Colors Museum will officially open on Sept. 29, bringing to fruition two major projects the country icon was working on before her death at 80 on Aug. 25.

The hotel will feature 245 guest rooms and suites, including the King rooms with expansive views of downtown Nashville and the Cumberland River, all with curated items chosen by the late Queen of Country, as well as the “Acoustic Suites,” which feature Parton’s acoustic guitars and personally curated album art and other instruments, a custom leather SongTeller journal and optional in-room songwriting sessions.

The “Six Sisters” suites, inspired by the singer’s strong bond with her five sisters, can host up to six guests and features a record player with Dolly’s albums, “nearly endless vanity space” and a large living room area with a curved couch. In addition, the hotel will feature the elaborate, two-story “SongTeller” Suite, as well as 9 to 5 Music Moments, which will fill the air in the Listening Lobby with one of Parton’s iconic songs at the top of every hour. Guests can also dip into the It’s All Writing Hour, a creative writing and journaling hour in the Listening Lobby that will provide guests with supplies to write their own hit song.

The hotel — created by Parton and entertainment company Herschend — will also feature a number of music venues, including Parton’s Live, with a full menu and bar and live music every night of the week, the Jolene’s lounge, which will host nightly performances from the city’s up-and-coming songwriters and singers and the SongTeller Cafe in the lobby.

The Life of Many Colors Museum, slated to open in October on the third floor of the SongTeller Hotel, will be the “largest exhibit celebrating [Parton’s] life in the world to date, spanning every dynamic decade from the top of the mountains to the top of the world,” according to the hotel’s website. It promises to employ state-of-the-art technology used to film Parton earlier this year to allow the “Jolene” singer to narrate her life in music and movies, family and faith, “combined in a kaleidoscope of dreams, hopes, and, of course, dazzling style. Her mosaic of memories, as songwriter, actress, musician, philanthropist, the Smoky Mountain Songbird and global icon, create the gritty and glittery backdrop for her story to unfold.”

The Museum will also host an Imagination Library zone paying homage to the singer’s iconic book-giving program that has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide to date, as well as a Hall of Fame, a Life on the Road display, Dolly’s Writing Room, celebrating her songwriting skills, Dolly’s Wardrobe, containing some of her most dazzling costumes over seven decades of public life and a recreation of the small cabin Parton grew up in.

Parton posted a promo video for the museum on Instagram just weeks before her death.
“From rags to rhinestones. I’ve been blessed with a life full of stories and now I finally get to share them all with you in one place, my Life of Many Colors museum,” she said in the clip in which she wore a glittery golden dress. “It’s the biggest exhibit of yours truly that the world has ever seen.”

Guest reservations for the hotel will open up on Sept. 14 and tickets for the museum will be available starting on Sept. 20; click here for information on both.

Parton’s cousin, singer Richie Owens, will take the stage at Parton’s Live on Sept. 16 and her niece, Jada Star, will begin an artist residency at the hotel starting Sept. 17. The hotel has partnered with Leslie Fram’s FEMcountry to present monthly showcases for established female artists and songwriters at Parton’s Live.

The upcoming 57th annual GMA Dove Awards is gearing up to be a star-studded event.

For King & Country, CeCe Winans, Anthony Brown, Julie Chen Moonves, Karen Peck, Lisa Knowles Smith and Sarai Rivera are all slated to present, while the first round of performers are TobyMac, Anne Wilson, Chosen Road, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Tauren Wells.

This year’s nominees for artist of the year are Lauren Daigle, Brandon Lake, Josiah Queen, Phil Wickham and CeCe Winans. For King & Country is also up for rap/hip-hop recorded song of the year, while Wilson is up for country/roots recorded song of the year. Chosen Road is up for bluegrass recorded song of the year, Cobbs Leonard is up for honors including traditional Gospel recorded song of the year, and Wells is up for contemporary Gospel recorded song of the year, and TobyMac is up for short form music video of the year.

Additionally, this year will feature the introduction of a new accolade, the Community Impact Award for Peace & Purpose, presented by Jesus Calling. The award is inspired by the late Sarah Young, the author of the best-selling Jesus Calling book, and recognizes an organization that does meaningful, faith-driven work beyond the music industry. The inaugural recipient is God Behind Bars, a nonprofit that brings a faith-driven message to incarcerated individuals and their families. Chen Moonves will introduce and present the honor.

More performers and presenters will be revealed in coming weeks. The upcoming GMA Dove Awards will be held Oct. 6, 2026 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The show will air on TBN and on the TBN+ app on Friday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET and will also be simulcast on SiriusXM The Message. An encore presentation will air on TBN and on the TBN+ app on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.

The 57th annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association, in partnership with TPR. The GMA’s Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt, in addition to artist, songwriter and GMA Dove Awards host Tauren Wells serve as executive producers, while Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright serve as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, with Scott Moore and Go Live Productions serving as production manager.