The week in music: 12 to 18 October 2026

It was a week of big announcements and a few hard goodbyes. Here is what mattered between 12 and 18 October 2026, one short paragraph each, with our full stories linked.

1. Justice are scoring Grand Theft Auto VI

Rockstar Games confirmed on 15 October that the French duo wrote the game's original score, and Justice marked it with "Flower in a Hurricane", featuring Tame Impala, SZA and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. The single is the track the launch trailer is built around. Read the full story, and see our feature on how the series treats Latin and African music.

2. U2 name their next tour and start in Latin America

The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour opens at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on 23 February 2027, with Beck supporting, then plays São Paulo and Buenos Aires in March. Ticketing runs in stages from 19 October. A few days later it emerged that Chile is not on the list. Tour dates and ticket stages, and why Santiago is missing.

3. A big Friday for new albums

Fontaines D.C. released Dopamine Chamber with Rosalía on "Where Is Gone?", The Avalanches arrived with 31 tracks on No Bad Memories, Zach Bryan dropped an eight-song EP, and Gucci Mane put out a 17-song album. Our guides: Fontaines D.C., The Avalanches, Zach Bryan and Gucci Mane.

4. The US government sues a giant ticket broker

On 15 October the Department of Justice, acting for the Federal Trade Commission, sued San Diego broker REPS & Company and three of its executives. The complaint alleges the firm got around purchase limits to collect more than 18.5 million tickets since 2022, including 7,624 for a single Beyoncé show. These are allegations, not findings. The numbers in the complaint.

5. Keffe D is sentenced for Tupac Shakur's murder

Duane "Keffe D" Davis, 63, was sentenced on 13 October to 40 years to life for orchestrating the 1996 killing in Las Vegas, close to 30 years on. He is expected to appeal. What the court heard.

6. Summer Walker takes LVRN to court

Days after Interscope sued her over two albums it says she still owes, Walker filed her own suit against LVRN, alleging fraud and asking a court to void her 2017 agreement. Everything in it is an allegation so far. Her filing, explained.

7. Nightwish and Floor Jansen part ways

After 13 years, the Finnish symphonic metal band and their singer announced on 15 October that they are parting "in mutual agreement". Nightwish say they will continue, and Jansen is turning to a solo album, Hytress, due in 2027. The full story.

8. India loses Deva and Mahesh Tinaikar

Deva, the Tamil composer who put Chennai's gaana street sound into 1990s film hits such as Annaamalai and Baashha, died on 17 October aged 75. Two days earlier Mahesh Tinaikar, a founding guitarist of Indus Creed, died aged 63. Deva and Mahesh Tinaikar.

9. Diljit Dosanjh's Delhi show moves

The Delhi night of the AURA India tour now falls on Friday 30 October at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium instead of 1 November. Existing tickets stay valid, and refunds are available on request. What ticket holders need to do.

10. Warner Music India makes a South Indian push

Warner Music India bought the Gemini Music Tamil film catalogue and signed long-term deals with filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon and Magic Frames. In South India, film soundtracks are the pop charts, which is why catalogue rights are worth fighting for. The deals.

Next week

The Mercury Prize ceremony is on Thursday 22 October in Newcastle, and the Billboard Latin Music Awards follow during Latin Music Week in Miami. We will be covering both.