Ontario singer-songwriter Kailan McGee has released “Lady of the Moon,” a concept album built around the eight phases of the moon, with each of its eight tracks tied to a lunar phase. The record’s narrative centers on mythological creatures and sightings tied to the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany, and according to McGee features an all-female cast of characters, a choice she connects to the moon’s association with femininity. The album was released in April to coincide with the Pink Moon.

McGee says the project grew out of more than 70 pages of notes covering plot, character development and poetry, and that it marks the accomplishment she is most proud of to date. It follows her 2025 debut, a 21-track record that McGee’s team says produced 13 charting songs in Canada and the U.S., earned a CIMVA nomination for the video “Long Live the Night” and three New Music Award nominations. McGee won the New Music Award for Country Artist of the Year in 2026, an honor that recognized her genre-blurring songwriting, according to the announcement.

“Lady of the Moon” was produced, mixed and mastered by Kevin Comeau, who also plays bass and keyboard on the album, and was recorded at Chalet Studio in Claremont, Ontario. The album features Darrell Wallace on guitars and Graham Shaw and Jacob McGee-Gauthier on drums and percussion.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Kailan McGee, gmail.com.

Kanye West staged a homecoming concert in Chicago that featured a string of guest appearances, including Future, 2 Chainz, Twista, Young Thug and Travis Scott. The show marks a high-profile live outing for West, whose public standing has remained under scrutiny in recent years.

The guest lineup underscores West’s continued pull with fellow artists despite the controversies that have surrounded him. The Chicago date adds to a run of live appearances as he looks to reassert his presence on stage.

Read the full story at Pitchfork.

Taylor Swift made an uncommon appearance on country radio to discuss “I Knew It, I Knew You,” telling hosts that several lines carry more than one meaning. She noted that fans have been closely dissecting the song’s lyrics online, which she said pleases her as a songwriter.

The interview marks a rare instance of Swift engaging with country radio directly, a format she largely left behind years ago as her sound shifted toward pop. The appearance signals continued promotional attention on the track amid fan speculation over its hidden meanings.

Read the full story at Billboard.

Bad Bunny has picked up his first Primetime Emmy, with his 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show recognized by television’s top awards body. The telecast collected seven Emmys total, the most ever awarded to a Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The haul underscores the halftime slot’s growing status as a major television production event, drawing recognition beyond the music industry. Further details on the specific award categories were not disclosed.

Read the full story at Billboard.

Violet Grohl delivered a stripped-down rendition of a Cure track for Triple J’s Like a Version series, performing with just voice and acoustic guitar.

Grohl described the 1992 song as a “cute love song” ahead of her performance, continuing the long-running Australian radio segment’s tradition of artist covers.

Read the full story at Billboard.

System of a Down has made “Johnny” available on streaming platforms for the first time, part of a 25th anniversary reissue of “Toxicity.” The reissue also fixes a tracklist error that had persisted for two decades.

The release coincides with a run of stadium dates the band has lined up, giving the catalog update a touring tie-in to capitalize on renewed attention to the album.

Read the full story at Billboard.

Jay-Z played the second of two nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sept. 5, part of a run celebrating three decades of his recording career. The London dates drew attention for surprise guests and career-spanning setlists pulled from his catalog.

The stadium double-header underscores Jay-Z’s continued pull as a live draw in the UK market, arriving as he balances performing dates with his broader business interests across music, spirits and sports ventures.

Read the full story at Billboard.

Los Angeles-based producer and singer-songwriter Harry Was Here has released his fifth EP, “The Fool,” led by the track “Sirius,” accompanied by an official music video. Harry Was Here has spent a decade working as a producer and mixing engineer for artists including Illenium, Mothica and Connor Kauffman.

According to the announcement, “Sirius” reflects on choosing isolation over vulnerability, and the EP continues the introspective, genre-blurring style the artist has developed after building his own studio.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Black Box | Alex Nesi, blackbox.la.

Nashville-based indie rock band Arts Fishing Club has released its new album, Pocket Full of Mumbles, following roughly three years of work. The band describes the project as an evolution of its folk and Americana roots into a louder, rock-driven sound, with tracks such as “Feed Me to the Wolves” and “Some Kind of Dangerous” among five songs previously released ahead of the full album.

Frontman Christopher Kessenich has built part of the band’s identity around extensive touring, including an early solo trek of more than 1,600 miles on foot along the East Coast that included 60 shows. The band has since performed at festivals including Bonnaroo, Summerfest, Treefort Music Fest and Mile of Music, and according to the announcement played sold-out shows this summer in markets including New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Denver, Boise, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Charleston, Greenville and Carrboro. The group says it has grown to more than 160,000 monthly Spotify listeners.

Arts Fishing Club is scheduled to play the Confluence Music Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 10.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Sarah (faccipr.com).

All Within My Hands, Metallica’s philanthropic foundation, has partnered with CASE Construction Equipment, a CNH brand, to auction a custom skid steer inspired by frontman James Hetfield. The machine, dubbed the “Hetskid,” is the first of 25 handmade units and will be listed on the Purple Wave auction platform through December 17.

According to the announcement, the CASE TV450B compact track loader was built at CNH’s Wichita production facility and mirrors a unit Hetfield commissioned for his own ranch under a 2024 equipment supply agreement with CASE. All proceeds from the sale will go to All Within My Hands, with Purple Wave also waiving its standard 10% buyer’s premium so the full amount benefits the foundation.

Funds raised will support the Metallica Scholars Initiative, the foundation’s skilled-trades education program, which the organization says has provided $19 million in grants to career and technical education to date. All Within My Hands, established in 2017 by Metallica’s members and management, says it covers its own administrative costs so that all donations go directly to supported causes.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Steve Martin, nastylittleman.com.