already grabbed the pop culture spotlight this year, shaking up the charts with genre-bending collaborations and historic moments. made headlines when she reflected on her origins, rewatching her emotional American Idol audition 20 years later, while now helping shape new talent as a judge on the show. , always a beacon of generosity, was honored both for her charitable spirit and her decades-long career, recently receiving a moving tribute following the death of her beloved husband.

Meanwhile, stirred controversy with his abrupt exit on Saturday Night Live, while major pop artists like and Post Malone crossed into country, fueling the genre’s explosive popularity and setting the stage for even bigger milestones as rising stars and legends alike plan tours, collaborations and new projects.

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists from Us Weekly.