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Spotify Reveals Its 2026 Songs of Summer Predictions and Lets Fans Vote for the First Time

Eric Alper
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Spotify Reveals Its 2026 Songs of Summer Predictions and Lets Fans Vote for the First Time

Spotify’s global editors have unveiled their 2026 Songs of Summer predictions, a 30-track list spanning pop, dance, country, Afrobeats, and everything in between. And for the first time, they’re letting listeners predict the song they think will be the season’s biggest hit with in-app voting. Just tap “Vote” at the top of the Songs of Summer playlist, then share your pick on social media or via Spotify Messages.

“I think above everything, we all know that a song of the summer is about the vibes,” says Talia Kraines, Editorial Lead, Pop at Spotify. “It’s a song that makes you feel good, that you can listen to outside in the sunshine with your friends, and that has the ability to travel across genres, people, and countries.”

Dance music leads the charge with a strong nostalgic lean. “New Religion” from Bebe Rexha and Faithless and “Jamaican (Bam Bam)” from HUGEL and SOLTO sample sounds from summers past, while “Talk To You” from ANOTR and 54 Ultra and “DANCE…” from Slayyyter pull from disco, ’90s house, and early 2000s French electronica.

The list reaches across borders for its party-ready energy. “Kakalika” by DopeNation fuses Ghanaian azonto with South African Amapiano, while “CHÉVERE” by ARIA VEGA and Ryan Castro brings Caribbean and Latin Afrobeats into the mix. Country storytelling enters through Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” and STELLA LEFTY’s “Boston,” both rooted in specific places and the warmth of long summer nights.

A sadboy summer thread runs alongside the upbeat material. “Freakin’ Out” by Dexter and The Moonrocks, “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike, and “Earrings” by Malcolm Todd offer something moodier for the nights that call for it.

The full predictions list, in alphabetical order by artist:

“Talk To You (ft. 54 Ultra)” – ANOTR, 54 Ultra

“CHÉVERE (premium_remix)” – ARIA VEGA, Ryan Castro

“hate that i made you love me” – Ariana Grande

“New Religion” – Bebe Rexha, Faithless

“Kingdom of Fear” – Cameron Whitcomb

“Bangaranga” – DARA

“Raindance (feat. Tems)” – Dave, Tems

“Freakin’ Out” – Dexter and The Moonrocks

“Babydoll” – Dominic Fike

“E85” – Don Toliver

“Kakalika” – DopeNation

“Janice STFU” – Drake

“Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley

“NOBLE” – F3miii

“L.U.C.K.Y” – Fcukers

“Jamaican (Bam Bam)” – HUGEL, SOLTO

“Mexico Honey” – Kacey Musgraves

“Earrings” – Malcolm Todd

“Maladie” – Mauvais djo

“Doors” – Noah Kahan

“drop dead” – Olivia Rodrigo

“KOKO” – Omar Courtz

“Girl Like Me” – PinkPantheress

“Free Your Mind” – Prospa, Cloonee

“Rein Me In (with Olivia Dean)” – Sam Fender, Olivia Dean

“DANCE…” – Slayyyter

“Boston” – STELLA LEFTY

“Dracula – JENNIE Remix” – Tame Impala, JENNIE

“Self Aware” – Temper City

“Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson

Photo Gallery: Cake at Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre on May 28, 2026

Eric Alper
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Photo Gallery: Cake at Toronto’s RBC Amphitheatre on May 28, 2026

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Cake
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Finnish Modern Death-Rock Force Post Pulse Reinvent Themselves Again on New Album ‘Lupaus’

Eric Alper
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Finnish Modern Death-Rock Force Post Pulse Reinvent Themselves Again on New Album ‘Lupaus’

Post Pulse have released ‘Lupaus’, their third full-length album, out now via Almots Records. The Finnish metal band continues pushing their sound into new territory, and ‘Lupaus’ (Finnish for “Promise”) represents their boldest move yet, leaning toward rock rather than death metal, with clean vocals, distinct melodies, and oppressively heavy tempos taking the place of relentless speed.

The album runs 5 tracks across 45 minutes, culminating in closing track “The Hole,” a 22-minute metal monolith that anchors the entire record. It’s the kind of commitment to a single idea that separates serious albums from collections of singles, and Post Pulse deliver it without flinching.

The genesis of ‘Lupaus’ began with chief songwriter Antti Karhu feeling completely drained following ‘Return to the Halls’ (2024), with no clear direction for what would come next. The only certainty was that the same album wouldn’t be made twice. What followed came in a burst: the seed of a 20-minute metal composition that eventually became “The Hole” unlocked everything else, and the album came together quickly from there.

Thematically, ‘Lupaus’ moves through the weight of daily news and social reality: war, domestic violence, depression, substance abuse, and social exclusion. The album doesn’t offer easy resolutions. It sits with the difficulty and lets the music carry the emotional weight, which it does with significant force.

The production reflects the same ambition. Mixed by Juhis Kauppinen, known as vocalist of Merta, and mastered by Miro Kiiski, the album’s sound is bigger and more melodic than anything Post Pulse have put their name on before. The cover artwork is a painting by artist Juuso Laatio.

Post Pulse celebrated the release tonight with an album release show at Kuudes Linja in Helsinki, joined by Sisin and Sounds of Delusion.

‘Lupaus’ Track Listing:

  1. Not My War (6:19)
  2. Lupaus (6:38)
  3. Incredible Creatures (4:43)
  4. A Strategy of Peace (6:18)
  5. The Hole (21:44)

Kimiko Glenn’s New Single “Just Like That!” Turns Dating Spiral Into Sharp Pop Gold

Eric Alper
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Kimiko Glenn’s New Single “Just Like That!” Turns Dating Spiral Into Sharp Pop Gold

Kimiko Glenn, performing as KIMIKO, has released “Just Like That!,” the latest single from her upcoming debut EP ‘Modern Dance’. The track is an outwardly laid-back, completely un-chill examination of the devolving mental state that comes with waiting for a text that never arrives, and it arrives with a music video that frames the whole spiral through the lens of a TikTok For You page.

The song captures something specific and universal. “‘Just Like That!’ is a seemingly chill song about the world being literally on fire, but your biggest concern, the greatest tragedy of all, is that he hasn’t texted you back,” says KIMIKO. “It’s the process of convincing yourself you’re more important than this, while ultimately voice-noting everyone you know, spiraling out of control.” The production keeps it breezy while the lyrics do the damage.

The video builds the concept further, structured as a series of stitched-together vlogs: the Get Ready With Me’s, fashion hauls, song teasers, matcha flashes, and dance trends of a fictional micro-influencer who is very publicly, very visibly not spiraling. Except she absolutely is. “If you look closely, beyond her manicured online presence, she’s totally spiraling,” KIMIKO explains. The format is the joke, and the joke lands clean.

“Just Like That!” follows “Emotional Whiplash,” KIMIKO’s previous single and her first venture into directing her own music video. Both tracks pull from the same inspiration pool: Lily Allen and Sabrina Carpenter, 2 artists who find power and fun in the messiness of gender and romantic politics. The comparison holds. ‘Modern Dance’ shapes up as a sharp, funny, and genuinely felt debut from someone who has spent a decade making audiences feel things through other people’s words.

Glenn is best known on screen for her role as Brook Soso on Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, which earned her and the cast 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Her voice work spans Hazbin Hotel, Disney’s KIFF (which earned her 4 Children & Family Emmy nominations), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and both sequels, and the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Among Us. She originated the role of Dawn in the Broadway production of Waitress, nominated for a 2016 Tony Award for Best Musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles.

‘Modern Dance’ EP Track Listing:

  1. Hang Out Forever?
  2. Emotional Whiplash
  3. Just Like That!
  4. BIG ICK ENERGY
  5. Modern Dance

Bryan Adams, Wyclef Jean, and Nora Fatehi Headline Toronto’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert

Eric Alper
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Bryan Adams, Wyclef Jean, and Nora Fatehi Headline Toronto’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert is coming to Toronto on June 10, and the lineup for the city’s celebration has been confirmed. Bryan Adams, Nora Fatehi with Sanjoy, Vegedream, and a special collaboration between AHI and Wyclef Jean will perform at the FIFA Fan Festival Toronto site at Fort York and The Bentway. Additional artists and special guests are still to be announced. Tickets are on sale now via Host City Toronto.

The Toronto concert is part of a synchronized multi-city celebration taking place simultaneously across Canada, Mexico, and the United States on June 10, the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026. It marks the first event of its kind in FIFA’s expanding music and entertainment program, developed in collaboration with the GRAMMYs and featuring artists connected to the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album.

Toronto’s show runs from 9:00 to 10:30 pm EDT and will be broadcast live across FIFA’s global platforms, including an exclusive social media livestream on the FIFA World Cup TikTok account. Full concert footage and behind-the-scenes content will be available the following day on VuMe Live.

“Toronto is one of the most diverse and culturally vibrant cities in the world, making it the perfect stage for this first-of-its-kind FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert,” says Peter Montopoli, Chief Tournament Officer, FIFA Canada. “Bringing together globally recognised artists, football fans and communities from across the country is a powerful reflection of the energy, passion and multicultural spirit that Canada will showcase to the world throughout the tournament.”

Lineup announcements for the Mexico and United States Countdown Concerts follow June 1 and June 2 respectively, with further talent details to come. For Toronto, this is a genuinely historic night for one of the world’s most multicultural cities, hosting one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Pop Innovator JORDY Drops Nostalgic New Single “SICK!” Ahead of Fourth Album ‘In Retrospect’

Eric Alper
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Pop Innovator JORDY Drops Nostalgic New Single “SICK!” Ahead of Fourth Album ‘In Retrospect’

JORDY has released “SICK!,” the latest single from his forthcoming fourth studio album ‘In Retrospect’, arriving July 10 via EMPIRE. Wrapped in glossy, nostalgic production inspired by The 1975, The Band CAMINO, and Jonas Brothers, the track is high-energy, hook-loaded, and tackles the all-too-familiar tension between what’s good for you and what actually makes you feel alive.

The song digs into the psychology of anxious attachment, the experience of confusing anxiety with love and finding stability somehow unsatisfying after years of chaos. “It’s about how hard it can be to trust someone good when you’re used to being treated badly, and how sometimes you crave the chaos of feeling ‘sick’ with love instead of safe and calm,” JORDY says. He also keeps it from going too heavy. “I wanted to have a little fun with that realization and not take myself too seriously,” he adds.

“SICK!” follows the carefree energy of recent single “DUMB,” and together the 2 tracks map out the emotional range ‘In Retrospect’ covers. JORDY describes the album title as his way of looking back and recognizing when he was confusing infatuation with love, and the songs reflect that clarity.

The foundation under this release runs deep. JORDY has accumulated 350 million career streams and over 1 million social followers, earned praise from Rolling Stone, Billboard, and PAPER, and built his reputation through albums ‘BOY’ (2023) and ‘SEX WITH MYSELF’ (2024), the latter praised for its “euphoric bits of big pop swings.” His original song “Good Not Great” went viral in 2023, sparking tens of thousands of fan creations. Nominations from the GLAAD Media Awards, Queerties Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Awards have followed his trajectory closely.

On the live front, JORDY makes his UK festival debut at London’s Mighty Hoopla on May 31, headlines Columbus Pride on June 20, and closes the summer with a hometown headline set at Chicago’s Northalsted Market Days on August 9, one of the country’s largest LGBTQ+ street festivals.

Track Listing:

  1. Cool Boy
  2. COULDA NOT
  3. BAD SEX
  4. GOD COMPLEX
  5. stop texting my friends.
  6. DUMB
  7. Normal People
  8. SICK!
  9. Little Distractions
  10. I Still Do
  11. So Whatever

Bonus Track (vinyl + CD): IDKW

JORDY On Tour:

May 31 – London, UK @ Mighty Hoopla Festival

June 20 – Columbus, OH @ Columbus Pride (Headline)

August 9 – Chicago, IL @ Northalsted Market Days (Headline)

Lost Don Williams Recordings Surface on New Album ‘Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes’

Eric Alper
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Lost Don Williams Recordings Surface on New Album ‘Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes’

Don Williams’ ‘Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes’ is out now via Craft Recordings, and the story behind it is as compelling as the music. Twelve previously unheard recordings from Williams’ celebrated 1979-1984 era, discovered in the cellar of the Williams family’s rural Tennessee home after more than 30 years in storage, have been restored and released as a complete album. Available now on digital platforms, CD, and vinyl. Listen here.

The tapes required extensive restoration. Many multitrack elements had deteriorated significantly, requiring musical parts to be carefully reconstructed from deteriorated sources. Williams’ original vocals, the heart of every recording, remained intact throughout, anchoring the entire project in his original performances. Longtime co-producer Garth Fundis, who worked alongside Williams for more than 4 decades, led the restoration alongside Williams’ son Tim, recruiting musicians who had toured with Williams to help reassemble the missing parts of his signature sound.

The assembled cast behind the restoration reflects the depth of Williams’ musical world. Joe Allen on bass and Kenny Malone on drums and congas provide the understated groove at the album’s core. Charles Cochran handles subtle string arrangements alongside piano and organ. Lloyd Green plays steel guitar, with guitarists Jimmy Colvard, Dave Kirby, Billy Sanford, and Tim Williams rounding out the sessions.

“Don liked every one of these songs,” says Fundis. “I remember recording all of them, too. He was very particular about the songs he recorded. I think he’d be really proud of this record.”

The recordings capture the warm baritone and understated charm that defined Williams across 56 charted singles, including 50 Top 20 hits, 45 Top 10s, and 17 No. 1s. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010 and an Opry member since 1976, Williams built one of the most consistent careers in country music history before his passing in 2017. ‘Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes’ adds a remarkable final chapter to that legacy.

On June 10, Opry 100 Honors: Don Williams spotlights his legacy at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with performances by Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, Brandy Clark, Rodney Crowell, The Isaacs, Jamey Johnson, John Foster, and more. Tickets are available now.

Track Listing:

  1. Try Me Again
  2. You Came True
  3. I’m The One (Alternate Version)
  4. Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight
  5. I Wish I Was Crazy Again
  6. I’m In Love For My Last Time
  7. Spinning Around
  8. A Matter Of Time
  9. I’m The One (Original Version)
  10. How Can I Miss What I Never Had
  11. Goldy’s Gone From Golden
  12. Growing On Me

Eve Marks 25 Years of Platinum Album ‘Scorpion’ With Limited Edition Anniversary Vinyl

Eric Alper
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Eve Marks 25 Years of Platinum Album ‘Scorpion’ With Limited Edition Anniversary Vinyl

A quarter century after its original release, Eve’s era-defining second album ‘Scorpion’ gets the anniversary treatment it deserves. A limited-edition red-and-black splatter 2LP, featuring an autographed insert, is available now. The release lands exactly 25 years to the day since the album first arrived, and the timing couldn’t be better, with Eve set to co-host the 2026 MOBO Awards in Manchester later this month. Get it here.

‘Scorpion’ went Platinum in the US and Canada and Gold in the UK and France. It has been streamed over 1 billion times. The album produced some of the most celebrated hip-hop tracks of the era, including “Who’s That Girl” and the Grammy-winning “Let Me Blow Ya Mind.” Across 16 tracks, Eve brought in Gwen Stefani, DMX, Damian Marley, and Stephen Marley, delivering a record that announced her place among the greats with complete confidence.

The context around ‘Scorpion’ remains significant. Eve was only the 3rd female rapper ever to top the US charts with a debut album. A double Grammy winner with over 10 million records sold worldwide across 4 studio albums, she has appeared on hits alongside Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, The Roots, Missy Elliott, Janet Jackson, Doja Cat, Prince, Nate Dogg, Sean Paul, and Shaggy. Her on-screen career has run parallel to her music throughout, including co-hosting CBS Daytime’s The Talk, where she earned 2 Daytime Emmy Award nominations.

25 years on, ‘Scorpion’ sounds exactly as hard-hitting and vital as it did in 2001. The anniversary vinyl is the right way to mark that.

‘Scorpion’ 25th Anniversary Edition Tracklist:

LP1 – Side A

Cowboy

Who’s That Girl?

Let Me Blow Ya Mind

LP1 – Side B

You Had Me, You Lost Me

Got What You Need

Gangsta Bitches

LP2 – Side A

That’s What It Is

Scream Double R

Thug In The Street

LP2 – Side B

No, No, No

You Ain’t Gettin’ None

Life Is So Hard

Be Me

Minneapolis Rap Force Prof Drops “Kia Boy” Ahead of New Album ‘GOOD TIME BOY’

Eric Alper
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Minneapolis Rap Force Prof Drops “Kia Boy” Ahead of New Album ‘GOOD TIME BOY’

Prof is back with “Kia Boy,” a new single out today and the latest preview of his forthcoming eighth studio album ‘GOOD TIME BOY’, arriving June 26 via his own imprint Stophouse Music Group. Driven by jubilant horns and his unmistakable animated flow, the track blends menace, chaos, and razor-sharp dark humor into a 3-minute statement of pure force. Listen here.

Prof debuted “Kia Boy” live on the Bootleg Kev Podcast with the kind of wild, unfiltered energy that has made his name in independent rap. He called it “a lot of energy and testosterone,” which lands as both accurate description and significant understatement. The track leans fully into the madness and doesn’t look back once.

“Kia Boy” joins a rollout that has already produced several standout singles: “Big Dog” featuring That Mexican OT and 2 Chainz, “Jewelry Duty” featuring T-Pain, and the title track “Good Time Boy.” Each arrives with an expertly crafted music video, and each one adds another dimension to what ‘GOOD TIME BOY’ is building toward.

The album runs 16 tracks and features T-Pain, That Mexican OT, 2 Chainz, E-40, Pete & Bas, JonRay, and Sauce Walka alongside Prof’s singular mix of technical skill, absurd humor, emotional honesty, and larger-than-life personality. It arrives as his most commanding record to date.

The foundation under this release is substantial. Prof’s 2023 LP ‘HORSE’ shocked the industry with its chart performance, reaching No. 2 Current Rap Album, No. 1 Heatseekers Album, No. 1 Emerging Artist Album, No. 8 Top Billboard Album, and No. 17 Independent Album during release week. He built that audience through relentless touring and one of independent rap’s most devoted fanbases, developed over years of blue-collar hard work and unimpeachable content.

A 12-city headline fall tour supports ‘GOOD TIME BOY’, with stops including Jannus Live in St. Petersburg and The Factory in St. Louis. Prof’s live shows have become known as full-blown experiences, including life-sized carpet rides over packed crowds, the kind of spectacle that rewards the devotion his fanbase brings every night.

AJ McLean Re-Releases “Flowers” With Ty Dolla $ign, New Video, and Fall Tour Dates

Eric Alper
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AJ McLean Re-Releases “Flowers” With Ty Dolla $ign, New Video, and Fall Tour Dates

Alexander James McLean has re-released “Flowers,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, with a brand-new official music video and instrumental version now available on all platforms. The re-release shines a renewed light on one of the standout tracks from his deeply personal LP ‘My Name Is Alexander James’, and arrives alongside the first confirmed dates for his upcoming ‘The Better Man’ tour this fall.

The track finds McLean in a reflective and intentional space, built around the idea of expressing love and appreciation in real time. Ty Dolla $ign’s signature smooth delivery pairs naturally with McLean’s vocals, bridging pop and R&B with the kind of warmth the song’s message demands. “This song is about giving people their flowers while they’re still here,” McLean says. “It’s about showing up, being present, and not waiting to say what matters.”

The re-release adds both a new instrumental version and an official video, giving the song added depth and a more immersive way into its emotional core. The instrumental version lets the production speak on its own, while the video brings the track’s themes of gratitude and presence to life visually.

McLean extended the song’s message beyond the music with a fan-driven social media campaign inviting followers to share who in their lives deserved their flowers. In collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, McLean selected winners to receive real floral deliveries. One grand prize winner received hers hand-delivered by McLean himself, a direct extension of the track’s core idea.

Best known globally as a member of the Backstreet Boys, McLean has stepped into a new creative chapter under his full given name, Alexander James, defined by authenticity and artistic freedom. ‘My Name Is Alexander James’ established that shift, and “Flowers” remains one of its most resonant moments.

4 initial dates for ‘The Better Man’ tour have been confirmed, with more to follow. The run opens October 20 at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn.

‘The Better Man’ Tour Dates:

October 20 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl

October 24 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theater

October 25 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

November 26 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Hard Rock Casino

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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