Author: Admin
Here’s our weekly overview of Hip-Hop and R&B album sales in the U.S., along with an update on where each album ranks on the Billboard 200 chart – this time for week 27 of 2026. This week’s recap includes the first-week sales of ML2, the new YoungBoy Never Broke again album, which debuts at No. 13, and T.I.’s KILL THE KING. Source: HITS Daily Double Chart # Artist(s) Album title Sales Sales + Streams 4 Drake ICEMAN 203 80,057 12 Don Toliver OCTANE 1,831 31,742 13 YoungBoy Never Broke Again ML2 119 31,467 *DEBUT* 16 Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt 25,406 28,961…
In this new entry in our ‘Diamonds In The Rough’ category, we would like to introduce you to upcoming artist YG Kayboe and his brand new mixtape titled Blood On The Pen 3. Memphis hip-hop artist and songwriter YG Kayboe has officially released his highly anticipated new mixtape, Blood On The Pen 3, available now worldwide via One Take Records. Serving as the long-awaited conclusion to his acclaimed Blood On The Pen 3 trilogy, the 14-track project is a deeply personal statement from one of Memphis’ most authentic emerging voices. Produced by fellow Memphis native Scott Coslett of Scientist Soundlabs…
Andrew Cushin: Goodbye(First Run Records)StreamingOut NowSTREAM HEREFresh from a series of festival appearances and solo shows in June, Andrew Cushin releases his first new music of the year with his single Goodbye. It’s a song that is every bit the guitar-driven indie-rock anthem that has become his trademark sound as he builds on his ever-gathering momentum towards bigger crowds and stages.It’s already been a memorable journey for Newcastle born Andrew Cushin in his relatively short musical career to date, from those very humble beginnings of being introduced to Noel Gallagher whilst still playing in goal for Newcastle Benfield FC’s youth…
Canadian star Preston Pablo is back with a fresh new chapter, releasing his latest EP, Almost Always. The five track project sees the multi platinum singer embracing a more personal and polished sound, blending nostalgic early 2000s pop influences with modern production.Written after taking time away from music, Almost Always explores the highs and lows of love, heartbreak and self-discovery. Leading the release is the emotional new single, Tidal Wave, a powerful track that captures the overwhelming feelings of grief and loss through soaring pop melodies and Preston’s most vulnerable songwriting to date.The EP also features the uplifting Dive, confidence…
Manchester rapper KinKai has returned with his first solo release in six years, unveiling new single Rendezvous Blues via ROOT 73 Records.Blending jazzy boom bap, neo-soul and alternative UK hip hop, the track finds KinKai reflecting on the emotional aftermath of a date that never quite lived up to expectations. Equal parts introspective and relatable, Rendezvous Blues captures the awkwardness, disappointment and quiet humour that often come with modern dating.Produced by Paya, the single pairs soulful, live feel instrumentation with KinKai’s signature conversational lyricism, marking the start of a new creative chapter for the Manchester artist.After building a reputation through…
J Hus is back with two new tracks, ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Clean Run’, marking the start of a fresh chapter for one of the UK’s most distinctive voices.Leading the release is the infectious ‘Moonlight’, co-produced by P2J and Cole YoursTruly, bringing a warm, expansive sound, while ‘Clean Run’, produced by JAE5, sees Hus return to his rap focused roots. Across both tracks, he explores ambition, loyalty and perseverance with the effortless melodies and sharp lyricism that have become his trademark.The release follows a standout run for the British Gambian artist, including last year’s collaboration with Asake on ‘Gold’ and a sold…
There’s a particular kind of grin that spreads across Stu Grayson’s face when he talks about Mystery Wrestling. It’s not just pride, though there’s plenty of that, it’s something closer to mischief. The kind of mischief that comes from knowing the audience has no ideawhat’s coming, and that’s exactly the point. Born in Gatineau, Quebec, Mystery Wrestling has steadily grown from a small, weird, passionate local project into one of the most talked-about independent promotions in North America, and now, the UK. With a debut London date set for August 29 at the Big Penny Social (and now a new…
Canadian rock icon Bif Naked marks a milestone this year as ‘Superbeautifulmonster’, the album she has called her favourite record of her entire catalogue, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a vinyl reissue arriving in 2026. Two decades on, the record stands as one of the most emotionally resonant and personally significant entries in a career defined by fearlessness, honesty, and artistic evolution. ‘Superbeautifulmonster’ arrived as Bif’s most ambitious and emotionally charged work to date. Recorded at Vancouver’s storied Mushroom Studios with producers Dave Fortman, Kevin Kadish, and Peter Karroll, the album traded the radio gloss of its predecessor for heavier…
One day before the United States’ Trump-stained 250th birthday party, Margo Price has made her own contribution to festivities with an angry, sorrowful and occasionally jubilant set of protest songs. Price has made her political opinions pretty clear in recent years, most notably at the 2025 Newport Folk Festival, where she introduced her version of Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)” with a cry of “Fuck ICE!” “Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)” is one of nine songs she’s recorded for Days Of Unrest – five covers and four originals: “Can’t Stand Still”, which she first played in…
Truman Sinclair. Photo credit: Travis Bailey.Well that’s it from us for this week. If you’re an AUK supporter your new playlist will be with you at 5pm tonight. Don’t forget about our 25 year anniversary event in November which takes place across two stages in Liverpool at the end of November and features Chuck Prophet and Steve Wynn among others. Tickets are available from this link.We leave you in the meantime dear reader with a new song from the amazingly talented Chicago-born and LA-based singer-songwriter Truman Sinclair which probably needs no further comment other than to note it’s another three…
“These days, nobody seems to care about the experience, they just expect everyone else’s time for doing absolutely fucking nothing.” So declares one of the key characters in Fabulous Bodies, the highly anticipated new novel from USA Today bestselling author Chuck Tingle. It’s a line that hits shockingly close to the bone, perfectly encapsulating a book that’s bound to become a major topic of discussion when it publishes this coming July 7th through Titan Books in the UK and Tor Nightfire in the US. For us, Fabulous Bodies is a brilliantly bonkers, genre-fluid chiller that reads like a late-night ’80s…
We’ve crossed the threshold into July, which means it’s time to look back at June’s most essential singles with another edition of Noteworthy Nods: Our monthly curation of the 20 tracks currently holding our office stereo hostage. As ever, the playlist pulls together a relentless mix of urgent discoveries, reader-submitted gems, and fresh anthems from the longtime favourites we’ll always stand by. (Got a track we missed? Don’t keep it to yourself – drop your recommendations/submissions HERE). This month’s line-up focuses on formidable riffs, late-night introspection, and several major artists charting ambitious new creative directions. Here are just a few…