NEWS
Burna Boy gave fans an exclusive look inside one of the most important performances of his career, with Billboard there to capture the entire experience.
For a new Billboard video diary, the versatile musician walks viewers through his full routine as he got ready for the first FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on Sunday. The footage begins with his police escorted arrival and continues through the excitement of walking onto the field at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. It offers an honest look at everything that happened before and after the major performance.
Throughout the day, Burna enjoys several unforgettable encounters. He takes pictures with Shakira, his collaborator on the official 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai.” The pair performed the track during Sunday’s halftime show, while it remains at the top of the Billboard Global 200 for a second week and leads the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a fourth week. Burna also catches up with streamer iShowSpeed, shares a hug with Justin Bieber and meets Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, who surprised the audience by introducing Bieber. Once the greetings are over, Burna fits in one last rehearsal before heading out to perform.
The footage continues as Burna walks onto the field and joins the celebration. He looks thrilled when the set concludes, making his way through the players’ tunnel and returning backstage. There, he receives compliments from Chris Martin, who organized the halftime show and helped write the finale song “We Dance” alongside his Coldplay bandmates.
Watch Burna Boy’s complete Day in the Life video through Billboard below.
NEWS
A recent poll has found that 41 per cent of UK adults have not played an entire album during the past 12 months.
The findings came from a study commissioned for National Rail’s Track Reset campaign, an initiative created to inspire people to explore music beyond their usual preferences. The survey questioned 2,000 adults across the UK and revealed a concerning decline in the popularity of complete albums as streaming continues to shape listening habits.
Among the participants, 41 per cent said they had not played an album from start to finish over the previous year, while eight per cent revealed they had never listened to one in its entirety. Many respondents also repeatedly returned to familiar music, playing their favourite song an average of 343 times annually. The main reasons included nostalgia and comfort, both cited by 50 per cent, while 65 per cent simply explained, “I like what I like”.
To help audiences discover unfamiliar music, National Rail teamed up with DJ Adriano Desire and music psychologist Dr Ruth Herbert to produce Track Reset. The three minute recording was created to “clear the palette” and help people become more open to exploring different sounds. Hear the piece below.
National Album Day began in 2018 as a celebration of “the album as an art form”, with musicians selected to serve as Album Champions every year. The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 17, and PinkPantheress was revealed as one of this year’s Album Champions in May.
“Music is experienced in ways that are unique to every listener,” the artist shared in a statement. “I love revisiting albums that I discovered at different times in my life, while always keeping an ear out for new sounds. This year, I encourage everyone to do the same for National Album Day.”
