The Melody Muse

For music lovers 🎧

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Gunna's The Last Wun Dominates New Music Polls

Gunna's sixth studio album, The Last Wun, released on August 8, 2025, has made a significant impact on the music scene. Featuring collaborations with artists like Offset, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, the album showcases Gunna's signature style and musical evolution. The production, handled by Turbo, Kenny Stuntin, and others, complements Gunna's lyrical themes of resilience and success. Tracks such as "Won't Stop" and "Him All Along" have been highlighted for their introspective lyrics and engaging beats. "Won't Stop" stands out with its dark piano keys and themes of perseverance, while "Him All Along" reflects on Gunna's journey and achievements. The album's release has been accompanied by visuals that further emphasize its themes, including a music video for "Won't Stop" that showcases Gunna's dedication and growth. The Last Wun is available on various streaming platforms and has been well-received by fans and critics alike.(en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org)

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Jonas Brothers Release Greetings From Your Hometown on 20th Anniversary

The Jonas Brothers have released their seventh studio album, Greetings From Your Hometown, on August 8, 2025, coinciding with their 20th anniversary as a band. The album features 14 tracks, including previously released singles “Love Me to Heaven,” “Slow Motion” with Marshmello, and the new single “No Time to Talk.” The Target exclusive edition includes a red/white split color vinyl.(LOS40, Target)

The band kicked off their “JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” on August 10 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The show featured surprise appearances by artists such as Demi Lovato, Jesse McCartney, and Switchfoot, and included performances of both new material and classic hits. The tour will run through November, with select performances streamed via Samsung TV Plus.(People.com, The Washington Post)

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Australian Rock Pioneer Col Joye Dies at 89

Col Joye, the pioneering Australian rocker who brought rock ‘n’ roll to the top of the local charts, has passed away at the age of 89. Born Colin Jacobsen on April 13, 1936, in Sydney, Joye rose to fame in the late 1950s with his band Col Joye and the Joy Boys, achieving national success with hits like “Bye Bye Baby” and “Rockin’ Rollin’ Clementine” .(Billboard Canada, News.com.au)

Beyond his musical career, Joye played a pivotal role in the Australian music industry as a musical entrepreneur, co-founding ATA Studios and Jacobsen Entertainment, and discovering the Bee Gees in 1963 . He was also honored as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1981 and inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1988 .(News.com.au, The Australian)

Joye is remembered fondly by peers such as Little Pattie and Normie Rowe, who praised his kindness, comedic spirit, and stage presence .(The Australian)

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BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom” Hits 1 Billion Views

BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom” music video has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube, making it the group's seventh video to join the elite club. Released on August 19, 2022, the video achieved 90.4 million views in 24 hours, setting a new record for the most-viewed video by a female artist in a single day at that time .

The video, directed by Seo Hyun-seung, features the members in various cinematic settings, including Jisoo playing a geomungo surrounded by black-hooded figures, Jennie breaking through a concrete wall in a monster truck, Lisa picking a black apple in a pyramid, and Rosé pulling a black heart from a stream of black water.

“Pink Venom” is the lead single from BLACKPINK’s second studio album, Born Pink, which was released on September 16, 2022 .

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BTS Brings the Stadium Home with Permission to Dance On Stage – Live

BTS dropped their first-ever live album on July 18, 2025, letting fans relive the 2021–2022 tour from anywhere. The deluxe bundle even includes a 141-minute concert VOD and 92-page photo book.

The album smashed records with 14.5M Spotify streams in 24 hours—the biggest debut for any live album ever—and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, making BTS the first South Korean act with a live album in the U.S. top 10.

The 22-track setlist spans BTS classics from “On” and “Fire” to emotional hits like “Blue & Grey” and “Spring Day”, ending with “Permission to Dance”. Fans say the live energy makes every track feel brand new.

BTS turned headphones into stadium seats—and it’s electric.

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Rock World Mourns: Junkyard’s David Roach Passes Away at 59

In a heartbreaking turn, David Roach, the raspy-voiced frontman of ’80s hard rock outfit Junkyard, has passed away on August 2, 2025, after a valiant battle with aggressive squamous cell carcinoma that affected his head, neck, and throat. His death came a mere two weeks after he married his bride, Jennifer, making the loss all the more poignant (EW.com, The Sun).

Diagnosed earlier in the year, Roach's fight was publicly shared—friends, fans, and fellow musicians rallied around him through a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $35,000 toward mounting medical expenses (EW.com). Junkyard’s Instagram and social media outlets announced the sad news with heartfelt tributes, remembering Roach as a gifted artist, songwriter, and a devoted family man (EW.com, The Sun).

Co-founder and guitarist Chris Gates paid a deeply personal tribute, saying, “I loved him like a little brother,” capturing the bond that defined their musical and personal journey (EW.com).

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Doechii Conquers Canada at Osheaga — Swamp, Raps, and Realness

Montreal, you’ve got your newest queen. Doechii made her long-awaited Canadian debut at Osheaga 2025 on August 1, transforming the Forest Stage into a lush, swamp-themed spectacle fit for her “Swamp Princess” persona (Billboard Canada, We Write About Music, Exclaim!).

Draped in moss and elevated on a platform, she kicked off around 10:10 p.m. with "Nosebleeds," launching a fierce 45-minute set packed with rapid-fire raps, slick vocals, raw energy, and minimal backing tracks (Exclaim!, Billboard Canada). The crowd was with her every step, whether she was quoting Beyoncé or unleashing full-on lyrical fire (Exclaim!, We Write About Music, Billboard Canada).

Accepting the crowd’s love, Doechii shouted out her LGBTQ+ and female fans — and reminded anyone whose boyfriend isn’t into female rappers, “Leave him immediately.” Then, picking up the mic for social justice, she boldly declared: “Free Palestine.” (Billboard Canada, Exclaim!)

Musically, she rode the wave from her Grammy-winning mixtape to TikTok bangers like “Anxiety,” energetically dropped “Denial Is a River” with fan call-and-response, and kept the momentum high (Billboard Canada, SoapCentral).

Just as the swamp was sizzling, the tough reality of an 11 p.m. noise curfew hit. Mid-track, the music cut — and Doechii shot back with a defiant, “F--k that, they cut me off!” followed by boos and an exit that left the audience craving more (Billboard Canada, SoapCentral).

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Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend Tracklist—Revealed With Golden Retrievers!

Sabrina's shaking things up again—in the sweetest way possible. Ahead of her August 29, 2025 album drop Man’s Best Friend, she’s unveiling the full 12-song tracklist… and yes, puppies are involved. Every two days she’s been revealing two titles via social posts featuring fans and their golden retrievers—a quirky (and adorable) twist to album rollouts. (LOS40)

The full lineup, from track 1 to 12, is official:

Manchild

Tears

My Man on Willpower

Sugar Talking

We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night

Nobody’s Son

Never Getting Laid

When Did You Get Hot?

Go Go Juice

Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry

House Tour

Goodbye (LOS40, Reddit)

“Manchild,” the lead single produced with Jack Antonoff—and released back on June 5, 2025—continues its reign on the charts. The track blends synth-pop, pop, and country, with cheeky lyrics calling out immature behavior. It’s already topped the Billboard Hot 100, the U.K., and Irish charts. (Wikipedia, Wikipedia)

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Doechii Teases Big Surprise Guest at Lollapalooza — and Delivered

The “Swamp Princess” of rap turned up the hype ahead of her Lollapalooza performance on August 2, teasing on X that she might bring a “surprise guest” to her set on Chicago’s T-Mobile stage (Daily Music Roll, Sportskeeda, Facebook).

Her fans went wild speculating — some tossed around names like Tyler, the Creator, while others just guessed fun wildcard collabs (Sportskeeda).

And then she made good: JT from City Girls emerged as the mystery guest, hopping out from behind a troupe of dancers wielding umbrellas for their duet “Alter Ego”, turning the moment into a visual and viral highlight (People.com, Bossip, NBC Chicago).

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Carrie Underwood Is Back for Her 13th Season Opening Sunday Night Football

Football fans: the heartbeat of primetime remains the same. Carrie Underwood is returning as the powerhouse voicebehind NBC’s Sunday Night Football theme — for the 13th straight year. She’ll debut a fresh rendition of the fan-favorite anthem, “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night,” when the 2025 NFL season kicks off on September 7 during the matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills (Country Rebel - Unapologetically Country, Country Living, The Times of India, The Sun, NBC).

Once again, Underwood recorded the updated version at The Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas — proving her residency vibe is as reliable as her vocals (Country Rebel - Unapologetically Country, Country Living, NBC, The Sun). As always, SNF creative director Tripp Dixon teamed up with her and the production crew to deliver a revamp that leans into her soaring voice and high-energy visuals that set the mood each week (Country Rebel - Unapologetically Country, The Sun, NBC). Underwood herself teased the collaboration, celebrating how they're “raising the bar” yet again and insisting—“I can’t wait for the world to see it!” (Country Rebel - Unapologetically Country, The Sun, Country Living).

Not everyone’s entirely on board — some fans voiced nostalgia for Faith Hill’s era (2007–2012) or suggested fresh faces like Kelly Clarkson. But the consensus? Carrie’s stay at the SNF helm continues for now (Country Living).

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My Chemical Romance Drops Rare Unreleased Track Live — and It Hits Deep

During their July 26 show at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, My Chemical Romance shook fans to the core with the live debut of an unreleased song called “War Beneath the Rain.” This gem hails from the scrapped sessions for their shelved fifth album, The Paper Kingdom, and hadn’t been heard until now (Culture, Rolling Stone Australia, Happy Mag).

Frontman Gerard Way introduced the track with a heartfelt tribute to late producer and engineer Doug McKean, who helped craft the song in the studio. McKean’s family was in attendance, making the moment even more poignant (Happy Mag, Rolling Stone Australia, Culture).

The performance took place after a full rendition of The Black Parade—then MCR surprised the crowd by launching into the haunting “War Beneath the Rain” (Rock Sound, Culture).

This surprise drop marks a vivid rediscovery of the band’s hidden past—turning a piece of dark, unreleased lore into a live triumph. The Paper Kingdom may still be lost... but this track proves MCR’s vault still casts a powerful echo.

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Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” Hits Hard — And Hits No. 1

After a year of teasing it live, Chappell Roan has finally dropped “The Subway” — and it’s instantly her biggest hit yet. Released July 31, 2025 (with U.S. radio spinning it from August 12), the Dan Nigro-co-written track is a lush mix of pop, alt-pop, dream pop, and shoegaze-tinged power pop.

It’s already smashing charts: No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 in the U.K., and top five in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.

The music video? Pure camp chaos — wigs, trash, rats, and heartbreak imagery dialed up to 100. It’s her first major visual since 2023’s “Hot to Go!”, and it proves she’s in full pop-powerhouse mode.

If “The Subway” is any sign of what’s next, Chappell Roan’s era has officially arrived.

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Taylor Swift Announces The Life of a Showgirl—Out October 3

Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, set for release on October 3, 2025, via Republic Records. The album features 12 tracks, including a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter on the title track, and a cover of George Michael’s “Father Figure” .(Wikipedia, The Guardian)

Produced by Max Martin and Shellback, the album was recorded during Swift’s European leg of the Eras Tour in 2024. Swift describes the album as “joyful, wild, and inspired by her experiences on the road,” marking a departure from the introspective tone of her previous release, The Tortured Poets Department .(Wikipedia, The Guardian)

The album’s cover art, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, features Swift submerged in water, symbolizing the offstage moments of her tour .(ElHuffPost)

Fans can pre-order the album in various formats, including CD, vinyl, and cassette, through Swift’s official store .(Wikipedia)

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Jisoo's 'Your Love' Music Video: A Dreamy Rainforest Journey

BLACKPINK's Jisoo has unveiled a special music video for her track "Your Love," the second song from her debut solo EP, Amortage. Released on August 12, 2025, the video was filmed at Singapore's Rainforest Wild Asia, part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. In collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board, the video showcases Jisoo in a flowing pink gown, surrounded by lush greenery, tranquil creeks, and symbolic orchids. Scenes include her singing amid trees and inside a cave, with rose petals gently falling around her. (Hype Malaysia, Wikipedia)

The video not only highlights the natural beauty of Singapore but also promotes the "Your Love" experience at Rainforest Wild Asia. Fans can explore the locations featured in the video, encounter François’ langurs, and dine at the Cavern Restaurant, Singapore’s first restaurant set within a cave. Additionally, a behind-the-scenes video is set to be released, offering fans a glimpse into the making of the music video. (Hype Malaysia, Wikipedia)

"Your Love" is one of two English-language tracks on Amortage, which debuted at number one on South Korea's Circle Album Chart and has been certified platinum by the Korea Music Content Association. (Wikipedia)

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A Night To Remember: Destiny’s Child

A Legendary Reunion

On July 26, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Beyoncé closed out her Cowboy Carter Tour with a surprise that left fans breathless—Destiny’s Child reunited onstage for the first time in seven years (People.com).

Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams joined Beyoncé mid-set as she vanished through a trapdoor and re-emerged flanked by gold-clad sisters, heralding the trio's iconic comeback (InStyle).

Setlist Breakdown

The legendary trio performed:

“Lose My Breath” in coordinated gold chaps and bodysuits

Joined Beyoncé on her Renaissance hit “Energy”, executing the viral mute challenge together

Closed the medley with their early‑2000s anthem “Bootylicious”, followed by Beyoncé’s triumphant command: “Give it up for Destiny’s Child!” (Glamour, InStyle)

Their Last Onstage Reunion

This marked their first public performance together since Coachella 2018. The trio had also reconnected offstage during Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour in 2023 with original members LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett (People.com).

Show Highlights & Persona

Beyoncé made a dramatic re-entry via a trapdoor, delivering an unforgettable visual moment. The all-gold cowboy outfits paid tribute to the western theme of Cowboy Carter (InStyle).

Jay‑Z and country artist Shaboozey also joined Beyoncé for surprise performances that evening (“Crazy in Love,” “Sweet Honey Buckin’”) (People.com).

A star-studded audience including Oprah, Gayle King, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Kerry Washington, and Tyler Perry attended the finale (WSYX).

What It Signifies

The tour spanned 32 stadium shows across the U.S. and Europe, concluding in Las Vegas on July 26 as a grand finale (EW.com).

As part of Beyoncé’s three‑act musical narrative—starting with Renaissance and leading into Act III—this moment felt like both a celebration of past glory and a promise of future artistic evolution (Teen Vogue).

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Happy Anniversary Slipknot

Slipknot (25th Anniversary Edition)

Slipknot's self-titled debut album, originally released in June 1999, is being reissued in a deluxe edition on September 5, 2025, via Roadrunner Records (Pitchfork).

The release will be available in multiple formats: digital, 2×LP, 2×CD, and a limited deluxe 6×LP box set featuring 59 tracks, including roughly 40 previously unreleased demos, alternate mixes, and live recordings (Consequence).

What’s Included

LP 1: The original studio album, preserving Ross Robinson’s final mix.

LP 2 & 3: Raw Indigo Ranch mixes recorded during early sessions in Malibu.

LP 4: Original demos and alternate mixes by Jay Baumgardner and Ulrich Wild, many previously unheard.

LP 5 & 6: Live performances captured during the band’s first world tour across venues in Connecticut (1999), the UK, and Iowa (2000) (Kerrang!).

The deluxe box set also includes exclusive new artwork, rare archival images, and collector photo cards, reflecting Slipknot’s early aesthetic and creative process (Consequence).

Pre-Release Preview

The band has released a previously unreleased demo of “Prosthetics,” offering a glimpse into its embryonic form before final studio polishing (Pitchfork).

Context & Fan-Focus

The reissue follows the band's Here Comes the Pain anniversary tour held in 2024, which celebrated the original 1999 release with throwback-heavy stage designs and setlists (Black Promoters Collective (BPC)).

Guitarist Jim Root reflected that at the time of the debut they “didn’t even know if there was going to be anything after that,” emphasizing how they simply wanted people to hear the raw energy and ethos of their first record (Kerrang!).

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Raye Receives Her Flowers

RAYE to Receive Inaugural Ivors Academy Honour for Songwriter Advocacy

British singer-songwriter RAYE (Rachel Keen) will be honored with the first-ever Ivors Academy Honour, to be presented at The Ivors Academy Honours ceremony in London on October 2, 2025 (The Ivors Academy).

This award celebrates her efforts as a leading advocate for songwriters, notably campaigning for fairer pay, greater transparency in revenue sharing, and better treatment in the streaming era (The Ivors Academy).

What She Campaigned For

At the 2024 Ivors, RAYE won Best Contemporary Song for “Escapism” and used her speech to emphasize the importance of valuing songwriters, calling them the “voiceless beating heart of the industry.”

She has been vocal about the need for labels to share master recording revenues and to address the power imbalance between artists and labels, especially following her split from Polydor (Vinyl Me, Please, Yahoo).

Her advocacy contributed to a landmark UK government-backed agreement introducing a £75 per diem for songwriters and session musicians, supported by major labels including Universal, Sony, and Warner (The Independent).