Music analysis: The summer concept in K-pop - ‘Velvet Summer’ by Red Velvet
Seasonal concepts have always been huge in K-pop, with it formally beginning in 1999 with SM Entertainment releasing ‘Christmas in SMTown.’
This led agencies to create holiday compilation albums with their signed artists until the shift in the next millennium, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
Music news: Tate McRae turns to gold during Lollapalooza headline debut
Tate McRae ended her first Lollapalooza headline set with a golden finale that left fans talking long after she left the stage, writes Music News Blitz’s Zinhle Radebe.
Closing her 90-minute performance in Chicago on Sunday, 2 August, the Canadian pop star stepped into a pool of shimmering gold paint during the final moments of “Sports Car” before emerging moments later covered from head to toe.
Clips of the performance quickly spread across social media, with fans calling the dramatic finale one of the weekend's standout moments.
Music news: Bruno Mars’ Romantic tour stop in London comes to an end
Bruno Mars just completed a 10-day residency at Wembley Stadium, with six dates ranging from July 18-28.
This marks the end of the European leg, which began in France and toured in other large cities such as Madrid, Spain and Berlin, Germany, writes Music News Blitz's Brianna Ngambi.
Music analysis: The rise of AI in music - Artistic repression or innovation?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is radically reshaping the music industry, testing the traditional conventions of music production, composition, and the listening experience, writes Music News Blitz’s Emily Hodson.
Artists are faced with a trade-off between human-led processes of writing lyrics, recording and editing and a technological, highly productive alternative.
However, musicians such as SZA are calling for other artists to boycott the use of AI, raising questions as to whether it should be welcomed as an opportunity for evolution or feared as a threat to creativity.
Music analysis - An African Pop princess, utilising the revival of the 00s - ‘A*POP’- Tyla
Tyla, an artist who has proven her success as a global sensation, released her highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP.
The album utilises a blend of Pop, Rnb and South African music to create the unique sound she is famed for, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
Music analysis: Dark Pop reimagined - ‘Petal’ by Ariana Grande
On July 31, Ariana Grande released her anticipated album, Petal, to the public, with many fans awaiting her return to popstardom after Wicked: For Good, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
This era began with the release of ‘hate that i made you love me’ in June, which has become one of my favourite singles she has ever dropped.
It encompasses what I believe Grande wanted to explore in this album, the realm of Dark Pop.
This feels like her way of addressing how she is learning to heal and stay resilient while experiencing the pressure of being a global sensation, as there is a melancholic tone in this album.
To me, this is what makes the album feel authentic and gives us the truth of being under the spotlight.
Fatboy Slim backs community ownership drive to secure Brighton grassroots venue
Brighton and Hove-based DJ Fatboy Slim has backed efforts to secure the future of grassroots music venues by investing in Music Venue Properties, as Brighton venue The Pipeline becomes the tenth venue protected through the Own Our Venues initiative, writes Music News Blitz's Josh Johnston.
Fatboy Slim has thrown his support behind efforts to safeguard the future of grassroots live music by investing in Music Venue Properties (MVP), helping secure Brighton venue The Pipeline as community-owned.
The acquisition means The Pipeline has become the tenth venue to be protected under MVP’s Own Our Venues £7 million initiative.
Music analysis: Panchiko's mystery that made millions listen
Imagine burning a few CDs with your friends as teenagers, handing them out to people around Nottingham, getting rejected by record labels, and quietly moving on with life.
And then, twenty years later, strangers on the internet track you down because one of those CDs has become one of the biggest mysteries in online music history.
It sounds like the plot of a film, but for British indie band Panchiko, it became reality, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.
Reading & Leeds Festival ushers in a new era as BBC Introducing Stage gets axed
The long-running platform for emerging artists will be replaced as part of the festival's wider site evolution this year, writes Music News Blitz's Joshua Johnston.
Reading & Leeds Festival is set to say goodbye to one of its most iconic stages, with organiser Festival Republic confirming that the BBC Introducing Stage will not return this year after an 18-year run that began in 2008.
The change is part of a broader transformation of the festival, alongside other stages being rebranded and the introduction of a brand-new dance music stage, The Warehouse.
Music news: Put Your Phone Down! CORTIS reignites music's biggest concert debate
Before smartphones became part of everyday life, people somehow managed to leave concerts with memories that lasted a lifetime, writes Music News Blitz's Victoria Bruwer.
Watch footage of legends such as Queen, Michael Jackson or Led Zeppelin performing for enormous crowds of hundreds of thousands of people. Nothing but hands in the air, completely immersed in the performance.
Music analysis: Inside the world of Japan’s genre-blurring duo Ziproom
Sometimes you don’t need to understand the language of a song to catch your attention when the flow and vibes are just right, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.
Kobe-based hip-hop duo, Ziproom, has quietly built a devoted following by making music that feels more like an atmosphere than a performance.
Music festivals: Creamfields to celebrate 20th anniversary in August
Over the August bank holiday (August 27-30), the Creamfields festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the iconic Daresbury site in Cheshire, writes Music News Blitz’s Madeline Rhodes.
Creamfields is known as the largest electronic dance music (EDM) festival in the UK.
Around 80,000 people per day are set to attend, with more than 250 artists performing across 30 different stages.
Hosting the largest indoor festival in the world, their ‘APEX’ stage allows for a 30,000-capacity.
The huge indoor main stage protects festivalgoers from the natural elements until as late as 4am.
Music news: Stop sleeping on EB3N before everyone else finds him
If you’re into artists like Avenoir, Devkota, Alan Vuong, Zuriel, and so many more who are quietly reshaping the alternative R&B scene, then add EB3N to your playlist.
Every music fan loves saying, "I've been listening to them since before they blew up.”
Not because of bragging rights (okay, maybe a little), but because you get to witness the journey in real time.
Waiting for every new release, their older music becomes more personal to you, and it’s exciting to watch that artist achieve every milestone they deserve.
With just over 122,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, the R&B singer-songwriter is still flying under the radar, but that probably won't last for long, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.
Music analysis: Where to start listening to classical piano pieces
Do you have an interest in classical music but don’t know where to start listening?
Here are Music News Blitz writer Moe Ikeda’s recommendations of classical music from two perspectives: arrangements and legendary pianists.
Pitbull’s army of fans set Guinness World Record for largest gathering of bald caps
Pitbull performed to a sea of bald caps as he headlined BST Hyde Park on July 10, writes Music News Blitz’s Madeline Rhodes.
Before Pitbull was set to perform, his fans gathered by the main stage to be officially counted towards the record.
Music analysis: The Bratz soundtracks that deserved to escape the DVD menu
Nostalgia has become one of Gen Z's favourite pastimes, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.
Whether it's rediscovering old shows or replaying the songs that soundtracked our childhoods, there's something comforting about revisiting the early 2000s.
Many of the biggest hits from that era have found a second life thanks to social media, with forgotten tracks becoming viral sounds and introducing a whole new generation to the music.
But while we've spent years celebrating the fashion, films and pop stars of the 2000s, there's one soundtrack that deserves far more recognition than it gets: the music from the Bratz movies.
Music analysis: A look at Don Toliver’s Octane era - energetic, but immersive
Don Toliver, real name Caleb Zachary Toliver, has amassed quite the fan base since his first album Donny Womack released in 2018.
The album caught the eye of pop rap star Travis Scott which landed him a record deal with Cactus Jack Records.
Octane, from Houston Texas, has given Don Toliver his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 charts, writes Music News Blitz’s Madeline Rhodes.
Music news: Former G.R.L member Lauren Bennett has passed away at age 36
Lauren Bennett has passed away at the age of 36, writes Music News Blitz’s Tyler Lai Sai.
The former G.R.L member and Party Rock Anthem singer passed away on 29 May 2026.
Her passing was announced on Monday, 6 July by her former band G.R.L on their Instagram account.
Music analysis: How Japan’s Spotify charts reveal the biggest J-Pop trends
Are you interested in what kinds of songs are popular in Japan?
Here are some points you should check out when you look at the top 50 songs in Japan on Spotify.
They are one of the trendiest bands lately; anime theme songs and bands have been loved for many years, writes Music News Blitz’s Moe Ikeda.
More than fearless: LE SSERAFIM flows into a new era
The five-member South Korean girl group has stepped into one of their biggest eras yet with the release of their second studio album, Pureflow Pt.1, on May 22, proving once again that the group is never afraid to reinvent themselves.
Following the introspective journey of their EASY, CRAZY and HOT trilogy, Pureflow Pt.1 finds the members embodying a renewed sense of confidence.
Instead of running from vulnerability, LE SSERAFIM celebrates it, reminding listeners that strength comes from acknowledging fear rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
The album expands beyond the group's signature pop sound, their musical identity getting laced with house, EDM, and Brazilian funk influences while keeping the energetic charisma that has become their trademark.
The album feels like the group's most playful release to date, writes Music News Blitz’s Victoria Bruwer.