HITS HIGH FIVE: HOT ENOUGH FOR YA?

While we're baking in this heat wave, we’ve set down our Aperol spritz long enough to type up this week’s HITS’ High 5, a collection of highlights so engaging you’ll gladly turn away from a round of penalty kicks in the World Cup.

While Drake didn’t hit 1b streams, tracks from Scorpion still shattered the previous first-week record by registering some 770m total streams in the U.S. The album is his second #1 in the U.K.

Part 2 of Holly Gleason’s conversation with Miranda Lambert picks up the thread with an extended gaze at her creative process, the price paid for her career, being honest to a fault, expectations, the need to feel your feelings and marveling at how far she’s come.

Members of European Parliament voted to return in September to debate the Copyright Directive despite the plea for immediate passage from Paul McCartney.

Our spotlight on Nashville issue includes a look at how the executive playing field is being leveled; how RCA Nashville’s Old Dominion went from being nice guys who could play to a major force in today’s country; and a chat with Big Machine breakout and ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year Brett Young.

Nothing says July 4 like fireworks, and this week’s Airhead cartoon featured industry fool Lyor in past and present pyrotechnic panoramas.