Wednesday, February 25, 2026

The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Sade, New Edition & More

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its latest roster of nominees, including Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, INXS, Iron Maiden, Luther Vandross and Shakira. 

They're among 17 performers who could be inducted into the iconic hall of fame, which celebrates artists from all corners of music, including rap, R&B, Britpop, metal, pop and most everything in between. 

Melissa Etheridge, Jeff Buckley, Pink, New Edition, Sade, the Wu-Tang Clan, the Black Crowes, Oasis, Joy Division/New Order and Billy Idol round out the list of 2026 nominees, which the Rock Hall released on Wednesday.

"This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of Rock & Roll and its continued impact on youth culture," John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement.

The 2026 inductees will be revealed in April, along with inductees entering the hall under three special committee categories: Musical influence, musical excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non-Performer Award.

Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they're eligible for induction. Nominees will be voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals.

Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order return to the nominations after missing induction last year. The list this time also repeats two sets of musical brothers who have had public feuds and recent reunions — The Black Crowes and Oasis.

Collins, with such hits as "In the Air Tonight" and "One More Night," has earned eight Grammys, including album of the year in 1985 for "No Jacket Required." Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" made history as the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for album of the year in 1999.

Carey, nominated in 2024 and 2025, has had 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while soul-jazz vocalist Sade, also nominated in 2024, had such soft rock hits as "Smooth Operator" and "The Sweetest Taboo." The Wu-Tang Clan have been hailed as rap innovators since their game-changing 1993 debut album "Enter the Wu-Tang."  

INXS ruled the late 1980s charts with hits like "Need You Tonight," "Devil Inside" and "New Sensation." Two-time Grammy winner Etheridge is best known for her songs "Come to My Window" and "I'm the Only One." Iron Maiden helped power the new wave of British heavy metal with iconic albums like "The Number of the Beast."

New Edition had the hits "Cool It Now" and "Candy Girl," while Shakira has been lauded for her ability to bridge Latin music with rock and pop. Pink has had four No. 1 songs and three No. 1 albums, including "The Truth About Love."

Ten of the 17 nominees are on the ballot for the first time: Buckley, Collins, Etheridge, Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

Vandross, who sold more than 25 million albums and had the hits "Here and Now" and "Any Love," died in 2005. Buckley, whose 1994 debut album "Grace" is widely acclaimed, died in 1997.

Last year, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Soundgarden, Joe Cocker, Salt-N-Pepa, The White Stripes, Carol Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, Lenny Waronker, Thom Bell and Warren Zevon all were inducted.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Johnny Gill Scores His 4th No. 1 Billboard Adult R&B Airplay Hit "One Night"


Legendary R&B Icon, multi award-winning platinum singer, songwriter and philanthropist, JOHNNY GILL tops the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart with his latest single "One Night", available globally now on all streaming and download platforms via the J Skillz Entertainment label imprint.


Johnny Gill scores his fourth #1 Billboard single on the Adult R&B Airplay charts with his beautiful ballad, "ONE NIGHT." The song lands on the #1 slot of this week's Billboard Adult R&B Airplay Charts and his 25th song entry on the chart overall since 1993. "I'm extremely honored that R&B Radio continues to support my music and concerts, whether as a solo artist or with my New Edition brothers. I'm totally blessed that my current single "One Night" is the #1 song on the Billboard R&B Chart and hope that the message in this song encourages solid relationship connections," mentions Johnny Gill.

Gill's chart success includes other Billboard Top 10 singles from “Let’s Get the Mood Right” to “One Night." Johnny has also appeared on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts by having (7) of his albums on the prestigious charts. With a total of 27 Top 10 solo hits on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (including (8) Top 10 records) , there is no denying of Gill's musical impact in the soundtrack of our lives.

Through the years, Johnny Gill keeps the hits coming! “One Night” displays those vocals we all fell in love with since JG hit the music scene,” adds Uptown Angela, Executive VP Programming, iHeartMedia . "ONE NIGHT", was written by Gregg Pagani and Francesca Richard.

"Y'all wanted some grown & sexy and some R&B at its best, well, aka 'lil baby Jesus/J. Skillz is in the building," Johnny chuckles. "Real talk, my new single, "One Night", is a song that is just traditional R&B, I did not try to chase or try to be trendy, I just decided that in the space and place that I am in, I wanted to just get back into recording and expressing myself creatively with music and this is where I am at, this is what it is for me right now and I hope that my fans really truly enjoy it. Time has changed, life has changed, the music industry has changed a lot, but you know what has not changed, my connection, my love, my passion for my music and my fans. I hope you guys continue to truly enjoy it," states, Gill.

As Johnny Gill continues his incredibly successful solo career, he is still a member of the iconic R&B group, New Edition. The multi award-winning platinum group is currently on their North American leg of "The New Edition Way" tour, alongside Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.

Friday, February 13, 2026

New Album: Jill Scott Returns with Highly Anticipated LP "To Whom This May Concern"

 

Three-time Grammy Award-winning icon Jill Scott returns with her highly anticipated sixth studio album, To Whom This May Concern on all music platforms via her Blues Babe imprint and in partnership with Human Re Sources/The Orchard.

After 11 years, Jill Scott does not simply return; she reclaims, reintroduces, and redefines. To Whom This May Concern is not just an album; it is an invitation. Step into Jill’s backyard. Stay awhile. Bring a friend. Sit at the table. This is music meant to gather us—celebrating both our shared humanity and the beautiful differences that make us whole.


Layered in lush jazz textures, resonant bass lines, electric rap cadences, and the undeniable pulse of community, the album feels expansive yet intimate. Jill has never allowed herself to be confined to one lane, and here she colors far outside the lines—effortlessly blending soul, hip-hop, jazz, spoken word, and even house. On “Right Here Right Now,” produced by Om’Mas Keith, she salutes the DJs who have long championed her voice over pounding house beats, proving once again that Jill Scott moves where the spirit leads. “Pressha” is a soul-bearing anthem of liberation and marks Scott’s latest Top 10 R&B radio hit. Rooted in her signature truth-telling, the track confronts the invisible weight of societal expectations — beauty myths, status games, and the pressure to conform. 


A master storyteller, Jill returns with what feels like a proverbial carpetbag full of stories, spirit, and soul. The result is a body of work that is equal parts magic, medicine, and mastery.


A true collaborator at heart, To Whom This May Concern features dynamic appearances from Ab-Soul, JID, Tierra Whack, and Too $hort. The project is further elevated by powerhouse production from Adam Blackstone, Om’Mas Keith, DJ Premier, Camper, Andre Harris, Seige Monstracity, Trombone Shorty, Eric Wortham, DW Wright, and VT Tolan. From the brassy brilliance of Trombone Shorty to North Philly’s fearless lyricist Tierra Whack, to the smooth intensity of Ab-Soul, and the legendary Bay Area icon Too $hort, Jill curates a cross-generational, cross-genre experience rooted in authenticity and freedom.




To Whom This May Concern is grown. It is bold. It is communal. It is fearless. And it was worth the wait.

New Music: Mary J. Blige - "More Than A Lover"


Just in time for Valentine's Day, the legendary Mary J. Blige shares the release of her new single "More Than A Lover" to music platforms via Beautiful Life Productions.


Written by Blige, James Burns, Jocelyn Donald, Joshua Green and Darhyl Camper Jr. (also producer), "More Than A Lover" follows Mary J. Blige's 2024 album Gratitude.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Floetry Announce "Say Yes" The Tour featuring Raheem DeVaughn & Teedra Moses


After nearly ten years away from the touring stage, Floetry—the duo of Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart—have set their 2026 Floetry Presents Say Yes The Tour, marking their first national run together since 2016.

Before general market sales begin, Local, Venue, and Promoter presales start Thursday, February 12, from 10 AM to 11:59 PM local time using the code BPC. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 13, at 10 AM local time. Fans can access tickets here.

Joining Floetry on this special run are R&B voices Raheem DeVaughn and Teedra Moses. A multiple Grammy Award nominee, DeVaughn's body of work includes albums such as Love Behind the MelodyThe Love Experience, and A Place Called Loveland. Moses’ debut album Complex Simplicity has achieved cult-classic status, serving as an influence to creators across R&B and hip-hop. 

R&B group Floetry's emergence came in the early 2000s, expanding the genre's boundaries by incorporating spoken word and rap-inflected poetic cadence. Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart has long identified herself as a poet, rooted in spoken-word tradition, performance poetry, and narrative storytelling.

Floetry Presents Say Yes The Tour – 2026 Dates

Thursday, April 9, 2026
Newark, NJ — NJPAC

Saturday, April 11, 2026
Baltimore, MD — Lyric

Sunday, April 12, 2026
Philadelphia, PA — The Met

Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Chicago, IL — Chicago Theatre

Saturday, April 18, 2026
Detroit, MI — Masonic

Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Washington, DC — The Anthem

Friday, April 24, 2026
Charlotte, NC — Ovens Auditorium

Sunday, April 26, 2026
Durham, NC — DPAC

Friday, May 1, 2026
Atlanta, GA — Arena at Southlake

Sunday, May 3, 2026
Jacksonville, FL — Florida Theatre

Wednesday, May 6, 2026
New Orleans, LA — Saenger Theatre

Saturday, May 9, 2026
Houston, TX — Bayou Music Center

Sunday, May 10, 2026
Grand Prairie, TX (Dallas) — Texas Trust

Thursday, May 14, 2026
Phoenix, AZ — Celebrity Theatre

Friday, May 15, 2026
Los Angeles, CA — The Novo

Sunday, May 17, 2026
Oakland, CA — Paramount Theatre

Click HERE for tickets.