This Week In Entertainment News 17 July 2026
Music and entertainment news from Australia and around the world, plus new releases and tour updates.
Australia’s most-played song this week has drawn controversy for alleged use of AI. Brisbane DJ Josh Fawaz’s cover of Madonna’s 1989 hit ‘Like A Prayer’ has been topping the radio airplay charts but other artists claim Fawaz has used AI-powered audio software to produce the track. Conversely, Madonna’s latest album ‘Confessions II’ has failed to break the Australian charts so far.
Heavy metal giants Iron Maiden have sold a 50% stake of the band’s publishing and master music rights to Pophouse. The deal includes their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights as well as rights to the band’s iconic mascot Eddie. Pophouse Entertainment is an investment firm co-founded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus.
L7 bassist Jennifer Finch revealed she is undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. A GoFundMe has been launched to assist Jennifer with costs related to her treatment and ongoing care.
Prototypical desert rockers Queens Of The Stone Age have announced an Australian tour for the end of the year. QOTSA play headline shows in Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane in December, with support from Primus and Australia’s own tropical F… Storm. The band have also released a new song, ‘Easy Street’.
Hip hop fans in Australia will be treated to an evening with two greats, welcoming respected American performer, activist and speaker Brother Ali back to our shores, joined by beloved Australian hip hop act Horrorshow, this September. His Australian return marks Brother Ali’s first shows here since 2017.
BIGSOUND previewed its 2026 program, marking 25 years of Australia’s leading music industry gathering with significant growth in its support of artists in the event’s history. Announcing at the official launch at The Brightside, every act selected for the BIGSOUND 100 will receive increased financial support.
Gold Coast rock outfit The Vernons are making their return in a big way for 2026 with new album ‘Strike Out Again’ – the band’s first studio album in three years. Full of moments that speak to the band’s chemistry and a new chapter of creative spark, the album is out August 12th; teasing the energy of the record, The Vernons today share a new single from it in ‘Don’t Give A Damn If You Don’t Believe Me’.
Australian rock outfit Groom Epoch returns with their compelling new single, ‘Manifestation,’ arriving on July 31. The track is the latest taste of the band’s forthcoming album, ‘Shadow Kaleidoscope’, and showcases the group’s signature blend of thoughtful songwriting, infectious hooks, and driving rock energy. Featuring Richard Ploog, former drummer of the acclaimed Australian band The Church, Groom Epoch continues to carve out its own distinctive sound while drawing on decades of musical experience.
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Headsend drop blistering new track ‘Free’, a preview of their forthcoming second EP, due later this year. Recorded live in Byron Bay with Nick DiDia, ‘Free’ signals a new era for the band while picking up where their no-skips debut EP ‘Angel Glands’ left off – fully formed urgent riffs, tightly coiled lyrics, and the kind of intensity already making their live shows so crushing.
Bringing music back to one of the country’s best waterfront settings, The Point is set to be an exciting new addition to the Australian music calendar. Presented by Fuzzy, the live music series will welcome some of the country’s most beloved acts to a floating stage at The Fleet Steps, located at Mrs Macquaries Point this September, October, and November. The series will host ICEHOUSE, Missy Higgins, The Teskey Brothers, Hot Dub On The Harbour, and Harbourlife.
Denver hard rock veterans Sea of Flame return with a blistering new single, ‘And I’, arriving July 24 via Golden Robot Records. The track is available to pre-save now across all major streaming platforms. Serving as the first taste of the band’s forthcoming EP ‘Fumes’, ‘And I’ captures Sea of Flame at their most focused and ferocious. The up-tempo riffer showcases a band unafraid to evolve, embracing the direct, hard-hitting songwriting and deeply personal lyricism of hardcore while injecting it with their signature hard rock edge.
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