Original reporting, analysis and features from Amplifier Music Magazine.
Artist: King Sethos Single: Afghanistyle Record Label: Sarcastic Sneer Records Release Date: October 26, 2026 Distribution: DistroKid
Netflix says The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable arrives October 16. Joanna Natasegara’s documentary follows the story behind Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, the Wu-Tang Clan album created as a single-copy work, and the role of producer Cilvaringz.
Tinashe’s Popstar debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, according to Rated R&B’s October brief. Pitchfork also reports that she joined Charli XCX’s Austin City Limits set, performing “Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore” and “Melatonin.”
October London’s “Silent Treatment” has climbed to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay, according to Rated R&B’s October chart brief. The outlet identifies it as his fourth leader on that chart. The same brief reports that SZA’s SOS has returned to the top of the R&B Albums chart.
Houston brought its own sound to the stage. Remixd Magazine reports that Don Toliver joined Usher and Chris Brown during the second night of the R&B Tour’s Houston stop. The report also describes Bun B and Slim Thug appearing during the first night.
Taylor Swift's “Patient Zero” has a second week atop the Billboard Hot 100, according to Billboard coverage carried by Music Now on October 12.
Brian Eno is bringing Opal Records back. In an Associated Press interview, he discusses restoring hard-to-find releases and considers a 12-album collection of unreleased music. He also expresses interest in AI while questioning its ownership and oversight.
Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear accepted Nirvana’s 2026 Video Vanguard Award, focusing the moment on Kurt Cobain’s visual vision and the band’s lasting authenticity.
Three-time VMA winner Snoop Dogg hosted the 2026 MTV VMAs from Los Angeles and also served as an executive producer on the broadcast.
Madonna led the 2026 VMAs with seven wins, opened the show with her first VMA performance in 23 years and delivered a polished, commanding appearance at age 68.
Cardi B and Kehlani won Best Hip-Hop at the 2026 MTV VMAs for “Safe,” beating a field that included Drake, Megan Thee Stallion, Travis Scott, Don Toliver and Tyler, The Creator.
Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean has added 15 North American dates to his Better Man solo tour as he prepares a new album for November.
Farm Aid 2026 brought Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Margo Price and more to Virginia Beach while focusing national attention on family farmers.
Linkin Park’s new documentary Unshatter premieres September 30 and follows the group’s difficult path from grief and uncertainty to a new creative chapter.
Chris Brown and Usher’s 2026 co-headlining stadium run moves through its fall dates after major September shows, with stops still ahead in Texas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Miami and Tampa.
The 2026 MTV VMAs delivered seven wins for Madonna, Video of the Year for Taylor Swift, Song of the Year for BTS and a Video Vanguard honor for Nirvana.
Willie Nelson will headline Farm Aid 2026 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach on September 26, leading an all-day lineup with Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds and more in support of family farmers.
Blackstreet now has street honors in both Paterson, New Jersey and Virginia Beach, Virginia, while founder Teddy Riley was absent from the 2023 Paterson ceremony and did not appear in public coverage of the 2026 Virginia Beach unveiling.
Jhené Aiko’s Westside Whimsy debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 74,000 equivalent album units, giving the R&B singer her first career chart-topping album.
BTS returned to the iHeartRadio Music Festival after six years, closing opening night in Las Vegas with a four-song set before the group’s Arirang tour heads to Latin America.
Drake has broken material from his self-funded FOMO visual project into individual YouTube releases, led by the newly shared track ‘Quebec.’
Jodeci’s fall tour will celebrate 35 years of Forever My Lady, beginning October 24 in San Francisco and continuing through a December hometown finale in Charlotte.
Chad Gilbert, founding guitarist and songwriter for New Found Glory, died September 20 at age 45 after years of cancer treatment.
Nirvana has been named the 2026 Video Vanguard recipient ahead of the September 27 MTV Video Music Awards.
As licensed AI music takes another step forward this week, the Beatles’ “Now and Then” remains an important example of machine learning used to recover a real human performance rather than fabricate one.
Swamp Moor’s Funk from the Fog: The Cosmic Mud Theory offers an independent, character-driven approach to building a musical world at a moment when technology is dominating the industry conversation.
Spotify and Live Nation Urban are taking the RNB X playlist into the physical world with a one-day Dallas-area festival featuring Erykah Badu and H.E.R.
John Legend has released “Daylight,” a new song from the forthcoming Pharrell-produced album Muse.
The War on Drugs are back with “Who’s That,” a new single and video written and produced by Adam Granduciel.
Stevie Wonder is taking Songs in the Key of Life on an anniversary tour, with the landmark 1976 album scheduled to be performed in full.
Radiohead will play 21 shows across Australia and Japan in 2027, expanding its return to large-scale live performance with a residency-style schedule.