Charlie Kirk's Killer Caught, Taylor's iTunes Exclusive, Spotify Unveils Lossless

Charlie Kirk’s Killer Caught After Campus Tour Assassination

Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was shot and killed by a sniper on Wednesday at Utah Valley University, where he was engaged in a question-and-answer session with students. The incident, which Utah's governor called a "political assassination," occurred during a campus stop on a nationwide speaking tour. The attack has been condemned by political leaders, including President Donald Trump, who have called for an end to the angry divisions plaguing the country.

Officials at a press conference on Friday morning identified an individual in custody as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, after Trump announced on television that they had “caught him”. The capture came after a family member reached out to law enforcement, revealing that Robinson had confessed to the crime. According to Utah Governor Spencer Cox, surveillance video shows the suspect arriving at Utah Valley University in a gray Dodge Challenger. Investigators also recovered a high-powered rifle and were shown Discord messages by Robinson's roommate, which referred to retrieving the weapon from "a drop point."

iTunes Unveils Exclusive Taylor Swift Artwork for The Life of a Showgirl

iTunes has announced an exclusive digital-only version of Taylor Swift’s album, The Life of a Showgirl, set for release on October 3. The announcement, which came from the official iTunes X account in its first post in over six years, promises an exclusive cover and a behind-the-scenes video titled A Look Behind the Curtain.

The new edition of the album will feature all 12 original tracks. The bonus material is a video titled A Look Behind the Curtain, which runs for two minutes and 41 seconds. According to the description from iTunes, the exclusive video will feature Swift herself, offering insight into the creative process and inspirations behind the album.

On Thursday morning, Swift previewed a new countdown that will begin after a certain number of pre-saves have been received on her Instagram story.

ICYMI:

• SWAG by Justin Bieber has officially surpassed 1 billion streams on

  Spotify; it is his seventh album to achieve the milestone.

• Cardi B has unveiled an alternate cover for her new album, ‘AM I THE DRAMA?’ out on September 19th.

Spotify Rolls Out Lossless Audio to Premium Subscribers

Spotify has officially announced it is rolling out its long-awaited lossless audio feature to Premium subscribers. The move, which addresses years of criticism regarding the platform's audio quality, will allow users to stream music in up to 24-bit and 44.1 kilohertz (kHz) FLAC. According to Spotify's vice president of subscriptions, Gustav Gyllenhammar, the feature was built to prioritize "quality, ease of use, and clarity," ensuring that Premium users will have an even better listening experience.

The launch marks a significant step for the streaming giant, positioning it to better compete with rivals like TIDAL and Apple Music. The new feature is set to begin rolling out today, with more markets getting the lossless capability in the coming weeks.

POP FACT: On this day in 1981, Jennifer Hudson was born.

Bad Bunny Cites ICE Fears for Skipping U.S. Tour

In a new interview with i-D magazine, Bad Bunny revealed that his decision not to play any tour dates on the mainland U.S. was partly due to fears that ICE would target fans at his concerts. The 31-year-old superstar, who instead concluded a 30-night residency in his home of Puerto Rico, stated that while he has enjoyed previous U.S. tours, his concern for his Latino fan base was a major factor in his choice. The musician noted that people from the U.S. could still travel to his shows in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, to see him perform.

ICYMI:

• The Mercury Prize has unveiled its shortlist for the 2025 award, the award is given to the best album of the last 12 months. This year’s nominees include FKA Twigs, Fontaines D.C., CMAT, PinkPantheress, and more.

• Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building has premiered on Disney+, and the first 3 episodes are available now.

• Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden have reportedly welcomed their first child.

• Shaun White and Nina Dobrev have broken up after five years together.

• Overcompensating has been officially renewed for a second season on Amazon Prime Video.

Best New Track: In Other Words by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran released his newest album Play. Are you listening?

Sheeran described on Instagram that the album was made as “a direct response to the darkest period of [his] life” which includes the loss of two close friends and a cancer scare with his wife. It’s probably been all grey but he’s getting the color back. After everything, it’s vibrant and pink and it’s Play.

You can hear shades of X and + in a lot of these songs. “The Vow” might be the sequel to “Thinking Out Loud.” You can practically feel all the fairy lights and bare feet on the grass, we’re going to slow dance, of course. This is the kind of thing he just does so well.

We’re calling out “In Other Words” here. You get a sense of all the things he’s ready to hold onto for his muse. “Give me your ideas and babe come heres and all your sad and happy tears,” he sings. It’s a great piano ballad, too. Looks like he’s firing on all cylinders again.

—Dawson Therre

— Katie Macbeth

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