Matt Slocum, Leigh Nash and Justin Cary of Sixpence None the Richer,  August 7, 2012 in New York City. ( Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Justin Cary, longtime bass player for “Kiss Me” band Sixpence None the Richer, has died, according to frontwoman Leigh Nash. He was 50.

On Instagram Thursday, Nash posted a carousel of photos of Cary with the band and wrote, “‘We sure had a great time’ is an understatement. Thank you, Justin. We love you forever. Please keep his dear [wife] Linda close to your hearts. She is our family. There’s never been anybody like Justin.”

Earlier in the week, Nash had encouraged fans to visit a GoFundMe page that had been set up for Cary’s family because, she said, he’d recently suffered a stroke. “His wonderful wife Linda has kept us updated everyday and night too. She is lovely, delicate and unfathomably heartbroken,” Nash wrote.

She continued, “We love our brother so so much. Words don’t cover it. I know so many out there love him too. Saw his brilliance, second to NONE professionalism, class, humor (oh my lord the humor) wit, tough as an old boot as they say. Many more adjectives to describe him. Please pray for Justin and Linda. … I’m putting a link to @gofundme in our bio if anyone feels led to help Linda navigate the waters ahead.”

A update on the GoFundMe page states that Justin “passed peacefully” on Thursday morning.

Sixpence None the Richer formed in 1992; Cary joined in 1997, the same year they released their self-titled album. It featured “Kiss Me,” which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the group a Grammy nomination. The group disbanded in 2004, but when they reunited, Cary was with them again, remaining a member until the present day. 

In 2024, BLACKPINK member LISA scored a solo hit with “Moonlit Floor,” which interpolated “Kiss Me.”

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Zara Larsson performs on ABC’s ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,’ Dec. 31, 2025 (Disney/Christopher Willard)

Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” is shining at #1.

The title track of her current album has just topped Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, and in doing so, Zara has replaced herself. The #1 Pop Airplay song last week was “Stateside,” her collab with PinkPantheress. No other artist has ever had their first two number ones on that chart hit the top in consecutive weeks.

Plus, two other Zara songs are on the same chart: her Tyla collab “She Did It Again” and her resurgent song “Lush Life,” which became a hit this year despite being released in 2016.

In other Zara news, she’s is the latest guest on the YouTube comedy series Chicken Shop Date, hosted by U.K. comedian Amelia Dimoldenberg. During their chat, the two discuss Zara’s spirit animal — a dolphin, of course — and Zara’s childhood in Sweden, where she hung out in IKEA with her mom and even assembled her own IKEA furniture. “It’s like, a part of being Swedish,” Zara claims.

Zara also discusses the fact that one of the collective nicknames for her fans is “Zluts,” which may not be appropriate anymore.

“It feels kinda weird … especially now, I feel like I have a whole new generation of fans and they’re, like, 9-year-olds,” Zara laughs. “And I’m like, ‘What’s up, Zluts!'”

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Taylor Swift, ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ from ‘Toy Story 5’ (Walt Disney Records)

Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo have taken over the music charts across the pond.

Olivia’s new album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, has topped the U.K.’s album chart with first-week sales of just under 103,000 units. That’s a lot more than either one of her previous albums sold in its first week: SOUR moved 51,000 units, while GUTS did 60,000. In fact, Olivia now has the biggest first-week sales for any album by a non-British artist in the U.K. so far this year.

Plus, at age 23, she’s the youngest international artist to sell over 100,000 albums in an opening week since Britney Spears did it in 2024 with Greatest Hits: My Prerogative.

Olivia says in a statement to Official Charts, “Thank you so much for this Number 1 album award! It means so much to me. I wrote so many of these songs in the U.K., so it makes it extra special. Thank you all for listening, I appreciate it so much.”

Meanwhile, Taylor’s new Toy Story 5 song “I Knew It, I Knew You” is #1 for a second week on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart. It sold 71,000 units in the past week, giving it the biggest sales week for any single so far this year. The previous record was held by Harry Styles, whose song “Aperture” sold 70,000 units in its first week.

But Olivia is right behind Taylor; three songs from her new album sit at #2, #3 and #5 on the Singles Chart: “stupid song,” “the cure” and “drop dead,” respectively.

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Peabo Bryson performs onstage during the Thurgood Marshall College Fund 28th Annual Awards Gala at Washington Hilton on November 21, 2016, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Teresa Kroeger/Getty Images for Thurgood Marshall College Fund)

Peabo Bryson’s family has announced arrangements for his Celebration of Life.

Peabo, known for his hit songs and duets, including “Beauty and the Beast,” died June 2 surrounded by family and friends.

His family will hold a private ceremony on Father’s Day to honor and reflect on his life, followed by a private homegoing service on Monday at 10 a.m. ET, according to an official statement.

The service will feature musical performances by Regina Belle, BeBe Winans and Ruben Studdard in tribute to the late star. Attendance is invitation only; however, fans may watch the service via livestream.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Mr. Robert “Peabo” Bryson Student Scholarship Endowment Fund at Morris Brown College or Antioch Urban Ministries, Inc.

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Katy Perry attends the 2026 Tribeca Festival premiere of ‘Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour’ on June 8, 2026 in New York City. (Manny Carabel/WireImage)

Katy Perry has created an entirely new show, complete with new props, for her festival run this summer, which she’s dubbed the Out of Office Tour.

During her performance of “I Kissed a Girl” in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, on Thursday — her first show of the tour — Katy climbed into a giant water bottle labeled “Katyade” and went crowd-surfing, to the delight of fans. She also gave her new single “Watch It Burn” its live debut, ahead of its release on June 25.

While singing “Never Really Over,” she stood next to an enormous iPhone and didn’t answer calls from, among others, the initials “JM,” “RB” and “OB.” Those seemingly stood for her ex-boyfriend John Mayer, her ex-husband Russell Brand and her ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom.

But when the caller displayed as “JPJT” — which stands for Justin Pierre James Trudeau, Katy’s boyfriend, who she calls “the love of my life” — she hit “accept.”

According to MundoAmerica.com, another part of the show featured Katy getting a fake phone call from her daughter during the song “All the Love.”

Katy’s costumes included a long white shirt sporting the words “I am not a robot” with a sequined American flag tie and Canadian flag cufflinks, and a two-piece top and skirt that was a near-replica of an outfit she wore in 2009.

Her setlist was also different from her 2025 Lifetimes Tour, which is coming to screens this summer as a live concert film. In addition to all her biggest hits — from “Roar” and “Firework” to “Teenage Dream” — the new setlist included “Harleys in Hawaii,” “Thinking of You,” “Never Really Over” and a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song “Heads Will Roll.”

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Taylor Swift shakes hands with Tim McGraw during the 42nd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards, May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

On June 19, 2006 — 20 years ago — a song named after a country superstar was released by a new artist. It was “Tim McGraw” by 16-year-old Taylor Swift, and the music industry would never be the same again.

Taylor started writing the song in math class, after pondering the impending end of her relationship with her boyfriend, who was a senior and would soon go off to college. She later finished it with songwriter Liz Rose. The head of her record company suggested that she rename it from “When You Think Tim McGraw” to simply “Tim McGraw,” because he thought it would make Tim McGraw fans curious about her.

The song is about a girl who hopes her ex will remember her every time he thinks of her favorite song, which is by Tim McGraw. Thematically, it’s somewhat of a blueprint for many of Taylor’s future songs.

Tim McGraw revealed in 2025 that he was initially “a little apprehensive about” about the song, because he thought, “Have I gotten to that age now to where they’re singing songs about me? Does that mean I’ve jumped the shark a bit?” He eventually got on board with the song, though; the two became friends and have performed together many times.

“Tim McGraw” got good reviews; it hit the top 10 on the Billboard country chart and #40 on the Hot 100. It became the opening track on her self-titled debut album, which came out that October. It was a massive success, spawned four additional hit singles and set Taylor on the path to becoming the world-conquering superstar she is today.

And Taylor’s new single, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” is a full-circle moment, as it returns her to those country roots.

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Gracie Abrams, ‘Daughter From Hell’ (Interscope)

Gracie Abrams is the latest artist to record a cover song for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.

Gracie and her band performed Ariana Grande’s “we can’t be friends (wait for you love).” Her version is decidedly more rocking than Ariana’s, with heavier guitars and drums. Gracie wrote on Instagram, “@arianagrande Your music moves me you move me you are everything.”

Ariana hasn’t responded to the shout-out yet. She’s set to perform at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on Friday night.

On Live Lounge, Gracie also performed “Hit the Wall,” the first single from her upcoming album, Daughter From Hell. It’s due July 17, just a few weeks ahead of the release of Ariana’s new album, petal.

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