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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - NFL stars and top country music artists gathered Tuesday night at The Pinnacle in Nashville for the Sports Illustrated and Tight End University's "Tight Ends & Friends" event, presented by Reese's.Tight End University, founded in 2021 by Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen, brings tight ends from across the NFL together for several days of training, study and networking. The event also features live music, drawing both athletes and fans.This year's concert included performances by Dan + Shay, Chase Rice, Jon Pardi, Nate Smith, Mitchell Tenpenny and The War and Treaty. Brett Young made a surprise appearance, as did Lainey Wilson. Wilson then brought out Taylor Swift, who joined as an unannounced guest.Swift, who also appeared at last year's event, took the stage to loud cheers. During her set, she told the crowd, "We have a special request by a very special tight end who wanted to hear a particular song." While many believed she was referring to her fianc Travis Kelce, she clarified, "And that tight end...is named George Kittle."The event highlighted the connection between sports and music in Nashville, giving fans a chance to see top performers and athletes share the stage

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - Olivia Rodrigo announced Monday she will launch her own charity music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, with an all-women lineup. The event is scheduled for Aug. 29 at Irvine's FivePoint Amphitheatre.Rodrigo posted the festival lineup on Instagram, confirming that Chappell Roan, KATSEYE, Doechii and Stevie Nicks will perform in the inaugural year. Other artists include Bikini Kill, Die Spitz, Eli, Garbage, Mitski, Not for Radio, Quiet Life, Rachel Chinouriri, Stantigold and the Breeders. Nicks is billed as a special guest along with Karen O and Sarah McLachlan.Rodrigo wrote that she has "had a dream of doing this festival for years" and is "ecstatic it's finally coming true." She said all net proceeds will go to charities that support women and girls, including Baby2Baby, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom, Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women's Law Center and Planned Parenthood."By bringing together women in music and organizations helping shape a better future for women and girls, I hope we can build a community that inspires hope and positive change," Rodrigo said in a statement.Presale tickets will be available starting at 10 a.m. Pacific on Wednesday. Fans must register on the Daisy Chain Fields website for a presale access code.Rodrigo has previously worked to support women's causes. In 2024, she launched her Fund 4 Good initiative, raising money for reproductive rights, education and efforts to prevent domestic violence. She later announced more than $2 million in donations to related charities from her Guts World Tour. In 2025, Planned Parenthood awarded her the Catalyst of Change honor.Daisy Chain Fields follows in the tradition of Lilith Fair, the all-women festival organized by McLachlan in 1997. Rodrigo appears in a 2025 documentary about Lilith Fair. The festival announcement comes just 10 days after Rodrigo released her third album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200

Country music star Ella Langley will perform at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus on Sept. 25 as part of her "Dandelion Tour."Kameron Marlowe and Laci Kaye Booth are scheduled to join Langley as special guests for the Columbus concert.Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, June 26. Presale tickets will be available starting Thursday, June 25.Langley, 27, is from Alabama and gained national attention following the release of her album "Dandelion" in April. Her single "Choosin' Texas" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been streamed more than 450 million times on Spotify.Langley won best new female artist at the Country Music Awards last year. She was named female artist of the year at the Country Music Awards in Las Vegas this May.The "Dandelion Tour" continues through Oct. 31 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Other stops include Charleston, West Virginia, on Sept. 12; Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sept. 24; and Moline, Illinois, on Sept. 26

NEW YORK (AP) - Familiar stars and crossover pairings dominate the latest Billboard Hot 100, but the chart dated June 20 reflects something broader than celebrity gravity: listeners are rewarding emotional directness, genre flexibility and songs that feel increasingly unconcerned with traditional radio lanes.At No. 1, Taylor Swift claims the week's top position with "I Knew It, I Knew You," extending a chart legacy built not only on scale but on repeat engagement. The single arrives at the summit as a character-driven pop record that leans into recognition and aftermath rather than spectacle, giving Swift another chart-topper without chasing maximal production.Just behind her at No. 2, Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" confirms that her rise is no longer a developing story but an established presence. The song's placement underscores country music's sustained strength in the streaming era and suggests that regional identity and personal storytelling remain commercially potent. Langley does not merely appear in the Top 10 this week - she defines much of it.Her influence extends further down the chart. "Be Her" reaches No. 4, giving Langley two songs in the upper tier and reinforcing her ability to occupy different emotional registers without losing audience attention. Where "Choosin' Texas" projects confidence and self-definition, "Be Her" operates in more reflective territory, helping explain why listeners have continued returning to both tracks rather than consolidating around one.Langley's footprint grows again at No. 9 through "I Can't Love You Anymore," her collaboration with Morgan Wallen. The duet blends established commercial power with Langley's momentum and highlights a continuing pattern across contemporary country: solo identities remain central, but collaborations increasingly act as accelerants rather than side projects.Elsewhere in the Top 5, Drake lands at No. 3 with "Janice STFU," delivering one of the week's more conversation-driving records. The title alone signals confrontation, but the chart performance reflects a familiar dynamic in Drake's career - polarizing records frequently become durable ones. Whether embraced or debated, the song's placement indicates sustained audience attention.Ariana Grande follows at No. 5 with "Hate That I Made You Love Me," continuing a period of commercially successful pop built around intimacy rather than theatrical scale. The record's chart position suggests that restrained emotional framing remains highly competitive even in an environment dominated by major personalities.Bruno Mars appears at No. 6 with "I Just Might," marking another strong showing for an artist whose releases often prioritize longevity over volume. Rather than arriving with saturation-level output, Mars again demonstrates that selective releases can still generate immediate chart impact.The middle of the chart reveals another notable pattern: multiple songs from emerging or ascending voices gaining traction simultaneously.Olivia Dean places two records in the Top 10 - "Man I Need" at No. 7 and "So Easy to Fall In Love" at No. 8 - a sign of widening mainstream reach. The paired entries suggest listeners are responding not to a single breakout moment but to a broader artistic identity, an increasingly important distinction in streaming-era success.At No. 10, "Dracula" from Tame Impala and Jennie rounds out the week's upper tier and serves as one more example of cross-market collaboration shaping contemporary pop. The pairing merges distinct audiences and aesthetics without settling neatly into a single format category.Taken together, this week's Hot 100 paints a chart defined less by one dominant sound than by concentration of attention around artists who offer recognizable voices. Swift leads the field, but the broader story belongs to repeat appearances, crossover instincts and a Top 10 that rewards artists capable of sustaining interest across multiple songs at once

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Central Ohio enters the third weekend of June with a calendar shaped by celebration, culture and the unofficial arrival of summer, as communities across the region prepare for festivals, commemorations and family events from Friday through Sunday.The weekend of June 19-21 coincides with Juneteenth observances across the Columbus area, bringing together history, music, food, arts and public gatherings that organizers say are intended to celebrate community while reflecting on the significance of freedom and civic life.One of the region's largest events, the 29th Annual Juneteenth Ohio Festival, is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Genoa Park in downtown Columbus. Organizers say the event will feature live entertainment, vendors, cultural programming and family activities designed to celebrate African American heritage and encourage community engagement. Festival programming is expected to continue into the evening both days.Additional Juneteenth events are planned throughout Franklin County and neighboring communities.The Juneteenth Jubilee Day Festival at the Ohio History Center on Friday will focus on historical interpretation, educational exhibits and performances highlighting the history and legacy of emancipation. Admission is free.In Columbus' Bronzeville neighborhood, Juneteenth on the Ave returns Saturday with music, food, arts and neighborhood-centered programming. Organizers describe the event as both a celebration and a commemoration rooted in local history and ongoing community development.Suburban communities are also joining the observance. New Albany plans an evening Juneteenth celebration Friday at the Hinson Amphitheater featuring music and food vendors, while Reynoldsburg will host a community event Saturday afternoon at Huber Park.Beyond Juneteenth programming, Central Ohio's summer festival season continues across the region.The Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival in Gahanna is expected to draw visitors through the weekend with live performances and food offerings. Worthington's annual arts festival returns Saturday and Sunday with visual artists and outdoor exhibits, while Powell's community festival will continue Friday and Saturday.Family-focused activities remain available throughout the metro area, with museums, parks and seasonal attractions expanding summer schedules as schools remain out for break.Tourism and event officials say June remains one of Columbus' busiest months for public events, reflecting both seasonal travel and growing attendance at community festivals.Organizers encourage attendees to review event schedules, transportation information and weather updates before traveling, as programming and operating details can change.For many Central Ohio residents, the weekend offers multiple ways to gather - whether through cultural commemoration, neighborhood celebration or the beginning of another summer season

NEW YORK (AP) - The first half of 2026 suggested a music industry in transition: blockbuster touring remains dominant, but the biggest stories are increasingly about audience migration across genres, the global circulation of fandom and the tension between scale and specificity.As the calendar turns toward the second half of the year, four commercially powerful genres - pop, K-pop, hip-hop and country - appear positioned for a period defined less by reinvention than by consolidation and expansion.POP: The post-hyperpop era becomes mainstreamPop enters the back half of 2026 with fewer questions about dominance and more about identity.After several years in which maximalist production, internet acceleration and short-form virality drove release strategies, major artists increasingly appear focused on durable album cycles and event touring. Industry attention is already centered on high-profile summer and fall releases and arena runs that prioritize longer narratives over perpetual singles.Among the closely watched projects is Music, Fashion, Film from Charli XCX, scheduled for release in July and followed by an expansive North American tour and major festival appearances later in the year. The project's positioning suggests continued appetite for pop releases that function simultaneously as music events and multimedia statements.At the same time, genre boundaries continue to soften. Recent releases point toward renewed interest in live instrumentation and songwriter-led production choices. One visible example is Taylor Swift returning to country-adjacent textures on new material tied to film - another reminder that modern pop's center increasingly overlaps with neighboring formats rather than replacing them outright.The broader question for the remainder of 2026 is whether pop's biggest records become cultural monocultures again or continue fragmenting into large but distinct fan ecosystems.K-POP: Global infrastructure becomes the storyK-pop's second half may be defined less by comeback cycles and more by what happens after them.The year's most consequential development remains the return of BTS to full-group activity. Their 2026 album Arirang arrived after years of military-service interruptions and launched a global tour extending into 2027, reinforcing K-pop's ability to sustain worldwide demand at stadium scale.The genre's growth is also increasingly structural. Tours, global fan commerce, multilingual releases and region-specific promotions continue moving K-pop beyond the "export phenomenon" label and toward a mature international entertainment model.Attention in the second half of the year will focus on whether the market broadens or concentrates. Established acts remain dominant, but newer groups continue demonstrating that large audiences are willing to adopt fresh entrants quickly when supported by strong digital ecosystems and international touring exposure.The key metric to watch is not chart peaks but retention: whether global audiences remain engaged between major release windows.HIP-HOP: A genre between legacy and resetHip-hop enters the second half of 2026 in an unusual position.Commercially, the genre remains foundational to streaming. Culturally, however, the conversation increasingly centers on where the next defining movement emerges.The first half of the year highlighted continued audience appetite for established figures while also exposing fragmentation across regional scenes and platform-driven discovery. Veteran artists continue drawing attention through touring and catalog strength even as newer acts compete for identity in a crowded release environment.What may define late 2026 is whether major releases reestablish a central narrative or whether hip-hop continues operating through parallel ecosystems: superstar albums, internet-born micro-scenes and artist-led communities.Another factor is format. Longer album cycles, visual storytelling and live performance investments increasingly matter as much as streaming totals.If the past several years rewarded speed, the remainder of 2026 may reward coherence.COUNTRY: Stadium ambition meets roots authenticityCountry enters the second half of 2026 from a position of commercial confidence.The genre continues benefiting from crossover interest while maintaining unusually strong touring economics. Large-scale live events remain central to the business model, and artists are expanding beyond traditional country strongholds.Among the highest-profile examples is Luke Combs, whose stadium tour schedule reflects country's continued global ambitions.At the same time, country's independent and roots lanes remain active. Anticipation around upcoming releases suggests continued demand for artists emphasizing traditional songwriting, regional identity and less polished production approaches.That coexistence - blockbuster country and revivalist country - may become the genre's defining advantage.And pop's renewed interest in country aesthetics only strengthens the possibility that crossover traffic continues in both directions.WHAT TO WATCHAcross genres, the second half of 2026 appears likely to reward artists who can turn attention into sustained participation.The old release model - announce, drop, move on - continues giving way to yearlong campaigns built around touring, community and cultural presence.If the first half of the year demonstrated anything, it is that listeners are still willing to commit.The challenge for the industry now is earning that commitment

NEW YORK (AP) - Six months into 2026, popular music has become harder to separate into clean categories - and easier to understand as one global conversation.Pop artists are borrowing country's intimacy. K-pop's biggest acts are leaning into rap structures and international release strategies. Hip-hop continues to influence nearly every corner of mainstream music while confronting questions about commercial evolution. Country, meanwhile, has strengthened its position as one of the industry's most durable growth genres.If the first half of 2026 revealed anything, it is that genre remains useful as a label but increasingly incomplete as an explanation.POP: STAR POWER STILL MATTERS, BUT THE CENTER IS SHIFTINGPop entered 2026 in a familiar position: commercially dominant but stylistically fragmented.Instead of one defining sound, the year's first half rewarded artists who moved between aesthetics. Established names remained influential, but the conversation increasingly favored records that blended intimacy with broader crossover ambitions.Awards season reflected that change. At the Grammys, recognition extended across genre lines, while at the Brit Awards, breakthrough momentum and artistic cohesion appeared to matter as much as commercial scale.Among the year's recurring themes has been the return of live instrumentation and softer production textures. Even releases from artists long associated with maximalist pop leaned toward songwriting-first approaches.One of the clearest examples came from Taylor Swift, whose soundtrack single for Toy Story 5 revisited elements of pop-country and emphasized acoustic arrangements over high-gloss production.The result is a pop landscape less interested in strict identity than in flexibility.K-POP: GLOBAL SCALE, LOCAL IDENTITYNo genre entered 2026 carrying more anticipation than K-pop.Several major groups returned to active promotion cycles at roughly the same moment, creating one of the genre's most crowded and internationally visible periods in years.The defining story belonged to BTS.After years shaped by military service obligations and solo work, BTS returned with ARIRANG, an album that paired Korean cultural references with an expansive mix of hip-hop, pop and experimental production. The project topped major charts internationally and underscored the group's continued influence over the global music economy.K-pop's broader movement was equally notable: more bilingual releases, stronger incorporation of hip-hop and electronic production, and release strategies designed for simultaneous domestic and international audiences.Solo performers also continued expanding K-pop's commercial footprint. Jennie maintained momentum on global streaming platforms, reinforcing how individual careers increasingly operate alongside group identities.HIP-HOP: INFLUENCE WITHOUT CONSENSUSIf pop absorbed sounds from everywhere, hip-hop remained the genre everyone continued borrowing from.Its presence extended across charts, collaborations and production choices even as critics and listeners debated what defines mainstream rap in 2026.The awards circuit suggested continued institutional recognition. Hip-hop remained prominent in Grammy categories traditionally dominated by pop, with projects from artists including Kendrick Lamar helping reinforce rap's place at the center of critical discussion.At the commercial level, artists continued experimenting with hybrid approaches: club-oriented production, shorter track lengths and increased cross-genre collaborations. Chart activity reflected a market favoring immediacy without abandoning lyrical identity.What emerged was not a single dominant movement but multiple versions of rap existing simultaneously: blockbuster releases, regional sounds and internet-driven discovery cycles sharing space.COUNTRY: FROM NICHE RESURGENCE TO MAINSTREAM FORCECountry's rise no longer looks temporary.Through the first half of 2026, the genre continued benefiting from trends that began several years earlier: stronger streaming performance, wider demographic reach and greater crossover acceptance.Industry observers have increasingly pointed to country's ability to balance familiarity with experimentation. Even outside the United States, country's influence appeared in broader conversations about chart behavior and changing listener habits.Rather than competing directly with pop, country often intersected with it.That convergence showed up in songwriting choices, stripped-back production and renewed interest in narrative-driven albums. Contemporary country artists increasingly operated with pop-scale marketing while retaining genre conventions built around storytelling and performer identity.THE BIGGER STORYThe clearest conclusion from the first half of 2026 is not that one genre won.It is that the walls separating genres continued to weaken.Pop became more acoustic. K-pop became more borderless. Hip-hop remained foundational. Country became more central.For listeners, those distinctions may matter less than they once did. For artists and labels, they remain essential business categories.But by June, the sound of 2026 suggested that music's biggest successes increasingly come from crossing lines rather than defending them

NEW YORK (AP) - Pop returned to the summit, country strengthened its hold and a handful of artists claimed multiple positions across the chart as the Billboard Hot 100 dated June 13 reflected a week driven by recognizable names and stylistic crossover.At No. 1, Ariana Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love You" led the chart, marking the week's defining pop performance. The record's ascent places Grande back at the center of mainstream radio and streaming conversation with a polished release built around regret, self-awareness and restrained vocal delivery rather than maximal production.Close behind, Ella Langley continued one of the strongest runs of her career with "Choosin' Texas" at No. 2. The placement underscored country music's sustained presence in the upper reaches of the Hot 100, while also highlighting Langley's growing ability to move beyond genre-specific audiences.Drake remained a dominant chart force with two entries in the Top 10, beginning with "Janice STFU" at No. 3. The track's confrontational title and direct lyrical posture contrasted with the more rhythm-focused approach of his second appearance, "Shabang," which landed at No. 8. Together, the songs reflected the breadth of Drake's chart strategy - one release built around conversation and reaction, another designed for repeat listening.Langley returned at No. 4 with "Be Her," giving her a second Top Five finish in the same week. The dual placements suggested sustained listener engagement rather than a single breakout moment and reinforced country's continued overlap with pop consumption habits.Bruno Mars claimed No. 5 with "I Just Might," delivering the week's highest-charting solo male pop performance. Mars' placement demonstrated the continued viability of artist-driven pop records that lean into melody and vocal performance over rapid-release cycles.Olivia Dean placed two songs in the Top 10 and emerged as one of the chart's most notable developments. "Man I Need" reached No. 6, followed immediately by "So Easy to Fall In Love" at No. 7. The back-to-back placements indicated growing mainstream reach for Dean and positioned her among the week's strongest breakout performers.Country collaboration also remained a significant theme. Ella Langley paired with Morgan Wallen on "I Can't Love You Anymore," which reached No. 9 and added another entry to a week already defined by Langley's presence across the chart.Rounding out the Top 10 was one of the week's most unexpected pairings: "Dracula," the collaboration between Tame Impala and Jennie, at No. 10. The record blended alternative and global pop sensibilities, illustrating how collaborative releases continue to shape chart movement across audiences and markets.Taken together, the June 13 Hot 100 painted a familiar but evolving picture of popular music: superstar visibility still matters, but sustained chart success increasingly belongs to artists capable of crossing formats, sharing audiences and occupying multiple lanes at once

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Central Ohio heads into the weekend with a calendar anchored by one of the region's signature arts events, alongside concerts, community gatherings and seasonal programming that signal the beginning of the summer festival stretch.The largest draw of the weekend is expected to be the Columbus Arts Festival, returning Friday through Sunday along the downtown riverfront.Organizers say the three-day event will feature more than 200 juried visual artists, multiple performance stages, interactive activities and an expanded food lineup along the Scioto Mile. The festival has long served as one of downtown Columbus' most recognizable summer traditions and is expected to draw visitors from across Ohio and neighboring states. Admission remains free.The arts festival arrives as Columbus continues to position itself as a regional destination for large-scale public events and cultural tourism. City and tourism officials have increasingly emphasized festivals and live entertainment as economic drivers for downtown neighborhoods and hospitality businesses.Music fans will also find a full weekend schedule across Central Ohio.Country audiences are expected to converge Saturday for Buckeye Country Superfest at Ohio Stadium, one of the area's largest annual concert events. Additional live performances and club dates are scheduled throughout the city's entertainment venues over the weekend.Theater and performance offerings continue as outdoor productions remain in season. Actors' Theatre of Columbus is continuing performances at Schiller Park through the weekend, extending the city's long-running tradition of open-air summer theater.Outside Columbus proper, suburban communities are adding local events to the weekend schedule.In Grove City, Friday's Town Center Food Truck Festival and Shop Hop will combine food vendors, local shopping and family activities. Weekend programming continues Saturday with the community farmers market and concludes Sunday with Grove City Pridefest.Tourism officials note that June marks one of the busiest periods of the year for events in Central Ohio, with festivals, concerts and outdoor gatherings accelerating into the summer season. Visitors are encouraged to verify event schedules, parking information and weather plans before attending

Olivia Rodrigo said she had a near anxiety attack before taking the stage for her first Glastonbury headlining set in 2025.In an interview with the BBC promoting her upcoming third studio album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love," due Friday, June 12, Rodrigo, 23, described feeling overwhelmed before her performance."I remember having a near anxiety attack in the bathroom, like, 'How am I going to do this? I don't know if I'm ready,'" Rodrigo said.She said her nerves disappeared when she started singing on the Pyramid Stage."But something overcame me the second I stepped on stage and started singing. I felt totally calm and so in my element. I'm not very spiritual or religious, but it's moments like that where I feel music is just so magical you can't really describe it," she said.Rodrigo's set included collaborations with The Cure's Robert Smith on two of the band's classics, "Friday I'm in Love" and "Just Like Heaven."Rodrigo debuted at Glastonbury in 2022 on the Other Stage, but her 2025 headlining slot was a career milestone."I have such a reverence for the festival and the incredible heritage and artists that have played on that stage, so I put so much love and care into that set and spent so much time thinking about it," she said. "The fact that it translated was totally a dream come true."Earlier this week, Rodrigo wrote a letter to Smith ahead of her album release. She described debuting their duet, "What's Wrong With Me," during her Primavera Sound set in Barcelona last weekend."I've been insanely excited to tell you guys about this song and it's been so hard to keep it a secret," Rodrigo wrote in a message to fans. "It's the first feature I've ever done on an album and I actually cannot believe I got to do it with Robert Smith.