Rapper Lil Poppa, 25, died in Georgia on Feb. 18, 2026; cause unknown.

Bad Bunny stars in Residente’s 2026 Puerto Rican film debut, "Porto Rico," blending music and storytelling to explore island identity and resilience.

Drummer Tim Very of Manchester Orchestra, 42, has died; cause unknown.

Foo Fighters announce their 2026 album *Your Favorite Toy*, their first since Taylor Hawkins' 2022 death, featuring the title track as a preview.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band launch their 2026 U.S. tour on March 31 in Minneapolis, ending May 27 in Washington, D.C., with political themes and high-priced tickets.

Taylor Swift named world’s top artist in 2025 by IFPI for the sixth time, driven by album sales and global fan engagement.

U2 released a song honoring Renée Good, a mother killed in a 2026 immigration raid, to protest U.S. immigration enforcement.

Google launches Lyria 3, an AI music tool in Gemini for creating 30-second original tracks from text, images, or videos, with AI-generated lyrics, vocals, and artwork, available now on desktop and coming to mobile, featuring SynthID watermarks, free with limits, and added to YouTube Shorts’ Dream Track.

U2 released "Days of Ash," a politically charged EP addressing global conflicts, ahead of a joyful new album.

UK chooses Look Mum No Computer to represent it at 2026 Eurovision in Vienna.