Netflix Crashes, The Weeknd’s $1B Crown, Megan’s Charity, & Spotify Stats

'Stranger Things' Finale Crashes Netflix on New Year’s Eve

The Stranger Things series finale was too much for Netflix to handle on New Year’s Eve. When “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up” went live at 5 p.m. PT, a flood of fans caused the service to briefly crash. Thousands eager to see Eleven’s final stand instead got a “Something went wrong” error, sparking a wave of complaints on X. One viewer called it “unreal” to wake up at 2 a.m. only to be stalled, while others vented as the episode failed to load right at launch.

It wasn’t the first time Stranger Things has knocked Netflix offline. The streamer faced similar outages during the Volume 1 drop on November 26, though it has said service usually recovers within five minutes. This latest blackout only underscored the cultural weight of the show’s farewell, ensuring even the glitchy rollout becomes part of the finale’s legacy.

The Weeknd Crowns 2025 as Highest-Paid Musician

As 2025 comes to a close, Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, has officially walked away with the financial crown. The 35-year-old superstar finished the year atop the Forbes ranking of the highest-paid musicians, a feat fueled by a game-changing $1 billion catalog deal with Lyric Capital. Unlike traditional sales, this unique agreement allows Tesfaye to retain a stake in his master recordings and maintain creative control over his six-album discography, with Forbes estimating an immediate $200 million windfall for the artist after fees.

The record-breaking payday arrives as Tesfaye prepares to retire "The Weeknd" moniker, a transition he teased alongside his new film and companion album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. His historic earnings led an elite group of nine-figure earners in 2025, including touring juggernauts Beyoncé, Coldplay, Shakira, and Kendrick Lamar.

ICYMI:

• Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as the 112th Mayor of New York City. 

• MTV has ended its traditional music-only channels globally after 44 years. MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV, and MTV Live have shut down in many regions globally.

Megan Thee Stallion’s Foundation Supports 40,000 in Landmark Year

In 2025, Megan Thee Stallion’s most impactful work happened behind the scenes. Her Pete and Thomas Foundation reported a record-breaking year of community service, providing essential support to nearly 40,000 individuals across the country. Named in honor of her late parents, Holly Thomas and Joseph Pete Jr., the foundation expanded its reach significantly this year, focusing on educational scholarships, housing stability, and health resources.

The foundation’s 2025 impact report details a wide-ranging effort that provided aid to over 10,000 students through tuition assistance and supplies, while also launching dedicated programs for single mothers and senior citizens. From emergency financial relief for families in her hometown of Houston to nationwide mental health initiatives, Megan has solidified her reputation as a powerhouse philanthropist.

POP FACT: On this day in 2010, Kesha hit #1 on the Hot 100 with her single, “TiK ToK.” The track became the longest-running chart-topper of the year.

The Longest-Running #1s of Spotify Global 2025

In 2025, the Spotify Global charts were unusually stable at the top. The blockbuster duet “Die with a Smile” spent 103 days at #1, followed by “Golden” (78 days), “THE FATE OF OPHELIA” (77 days), and “ORDINARY” (52 days). Shorter runs came from “DtMF” (16 days) and “Manchild” (5 days), alongside the holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (7 days). The charts were dominated by a small circle of superstars, including Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Michael Bublé, Drake, and Tyler, the Creator.

ICYMI:

• Isaiah Whitlock Jr. has passed away at the age of 71. 

• RAYE has scored her first top 5 hit on the Global Spotify chart with “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” 

• A new behind-the-scenes look at Sounwave and Jack Antonoff from the Kendrick Lamar ‘GNX’ studio sessions has been released.

• Tyla has earned the biggest streaming day by an African artist on the Global Spotify chart with ‘CHANEL’, with 4.18 million streams. She surpasses her own ‘Water’, which peaked at 3.9 million.

Best New Track: Such A Funny Way—Sabrina Carpenter

Carpenters, hope you checked your holiday mail. Sabrina dropped an end-of-year sappy email surprise announcing the Man’s Best Friend deluxe track on streaming.

In her message, the singer dismissed the possibility of a deluxe edition outright. But “Such A Funny Way” slots neatly into the album’s universe.

What begins with a Michael Jacksonian sense of restraint soon dissolves into pure ABBA exuberance. There’s a slyness here: the track’s playfulness lampoons the seriousness of a relationship in freefall. It’s the same Carpenter she’s been since Short n’ Sweet.

“And what a strange coincidence, your grandma died and died again / And I would send condolences if one of my phone calls would just go through,” she sings.

You thought you could leave? Cute.

—Dawson Therre

— Katie Macbeth

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