The Hollywood community is in shock over the news of the untimely death of revered actor/director/activist Rob Reiner, who with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead on the evening of Nov. 14 at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Authorities are investigating the deaths of Reiner, 78, and Michele, 70, as "apparent homicides" and have arrested one of the couple's three children, 32-year-old Nick Reiner, as a suspect and who is being held without bail. According to witnesses, Rob and Nick, who had a history of addiction problems and temporary homelessness, were arguing earlier in the evening at a Christmas party thrown by Conan O'Brien, causing the Reiners to leave the party early. Their fatally stabbed bodies were later discovered at home by their daughter, Romy Reiner. The son of late comedy giant Carl Reiner, Rob went on to become one, himself, as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally... and This Is Spinal Tap. Born in the Bronx on Mar. 6, 1947, Rob quickly set out to follow his father into entertainment. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school and, in the 1960s, began appearing in small parts in various television shows, including The Andy Griffith Show. After starting out as a writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Reiner's breakthrough came when he was, at age 23, cast in producer Norman Lear's All in the Family as Archie Bunker's liberal son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic. On All in the Family, Reiner served as a pivotal foil to Carroll O'Connor's bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker. Reiner was five times nominated for an Emmy for his performance on the show, winning in 1974 and 1978. In Lear, Reiner also found a mentor. He called him "a second father." But by the 1980s, Reiner struck out on his own as a feature film director, churning out some of the most beloved films of that, or any, era. His first film, the largely improvised 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap, remains the definitive "mockumentary." 
After the 1985 John Cusack-starred summer comedy, The Sure Thing, Reiner made Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987) and When Harry Met Sally... (1989), a four-year stretch that resulted in a trio of American classics, all of them among the most often quoted movies of the 20th century (it was Reiner's mother who delivered the immortal quip "I'll have what she's having" in When Harry Met Sally..., as Meg Ryan faked an orgasm during a date with Billy Crystal). For the next four decades, Reiner, a warm and gregarious presence on screen and an outspoken liberal advocate off it, remained a constant fixture in Hollywood. The production company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, launched an enviable string of hits, including TV's Seinfeld and the acclaimed prison drama The Shawshank Redemption. By the turn of the century, its success rate had fallen considerably, but Reiner revived it earlier this decade. This fall, Reiner and Castle Rock released the long-in-coming sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry's most passionate Democratic activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. He was co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged in court California's ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8. He also chaired the campaign for Prop 10, a California initiative to fund early childhood development services with a tax on tobacco products. Reiner was also a critic of Pres. Donald Trump, who posted a typical hostile reaction to the iconic liberal's death which has drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle. By the late '90s, Reiner's films (1996's Ghosts of Mississippi, 2007's The Bucket List) no longer had the same success rate. But he remained a frequent actor, often memorably enlivening films like Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). In 2023, he directed the documentary Albert Brooks: Defending My Life. In an interview earlier in 2025 with Seth Rogen, Reiner suggested everything in his career boiled down to one thing. "All I've ever done is say, 'Is this something that is an extension of me?' For 'Stand by Me,' I didn't know if it was going to be successful or not. 
All I thought was, 'I like this because I know what it feels like." The sudden deaths of Reiner and his wife are being moured by high-profile figures from the worlds of entertainment and politics, including Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Elijah Wood, James Woods, John Cusack, Kevin Nealon, Eric Idle, Kamala Harris and Paul McCartney, who made an appearance in Reiner's final film, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released in September this year. Alongside a photo from the film's shoot, Sir Paul wrote on Instagram: "What a tragedy the death of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, is. It is so shocking in many ways but for me especially so, because over the last year I had been working with him. He directed me in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. He was such an upbeat, lovable man. Life can be so unfair and this tragedy proves it." He continued: "His father, Carl Reiner, was a great humourist before him and Rob followed in his dad's footsteps doing a terrific job making many great films. I will always have fond memories of Rob and the idea that he and his wife will no longer be in the world with us is heartbreaking. Thanks for all the humour, Rob. Rest in Peace. Love Paul." - AP/NME, 12/15/25.
After the release of a deluxe 50th anniversary edition of their chart-topping 1975 album Wish You Were Here on Dec. 12, Pink Floyd are on course to take the Christmas UK Number 1 album in 2025. Dropping on digital platforms and available on 3LP, 2CD, Blu-ray and box set formats, the release includes six previously unreleased alternate versions and demos, presenting Floyd's eighth studio album in a brand-new way. In 1979, Pink Floyd scored the UK Official Christmas Number 1 single with "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2." - New Musical Express, 12/15/25...... On Dec. 15 Cliff Richard revealed he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, and has described the screening process is "absolutely ridiculous." Sir Cliff, 85, said the cancer was discovered when he had a check-up ahead of a recent tour, but that it had been caught early and had not spread. "I was going to Australia and to New Zealand, and the promoter said, 'Well, we need your insurance, so you need to be checked up for something'. They found that I had prostate cancer," the "Devil Woman" hitmaker said during an appearance on ITV's Good Morning Britain. "But the good fortune was that it was not very old, and the other thing is that it had not metastasised. It hadn't moved, nothing into bones or anything like that. And the cancer's gone at the moment," he added. Sir Cliff said he wants to work with King Charles to improve cancer screening for men across the country, after the King spoke recently about his own cancer treatment and stressed the importance of routine checks to catch cancer at an early stage. Richard went on to describe the current lack of a national screening programme in England was "absolutely ridiculous." "We all deserve to have the same ability to have a test and then start the treatments really early," he said. "It seems to me -- I've only been for one year now in touch with cancer, but every time I've talked with anybody, this has come up, and so I think our government must listen to us." - NME, 12/15/25...... 
Queen's Brian May has gifted Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi with a version of his homemade left-handed Red Special guitar. May's original Red Special was assembled from scratch in the early 1960s by May with his father Harold, as he was unable to afford a major brand. Built with mahogany from an old fireplace mantle and an oak fingerboard with mother-of-pearl buttons, it remained May's primary guitar on stage throughout Queen's success in the '70s and '80s and became synonymous with the band's sound. Now in an Instagram post on Dec. 9, Iommi revealed that May has presented him with a customized left-handed replica of the model. Alongside photos of himself playing the instrument, Iommi wrote: "Huge thanks to my best friend @brianmayforreal and master builder Andrew Guyton @guyton_guitars for this incredible left-handed Red Special replica. Andrew personally delivered it last week - a true gift from Brian, two years in the making. Christmas came early!" Guyton added: "It's built with the exact vintage construction of Brian May's original Red Special, but shaped to match Tony's iconic Jaydee Old Boy neck. Features a built-in treble booster and authentic vintage-style pots and pickups to replicate the classic tone." Earlier in 2025, May teamed up with Gibson to launch a new limited-edition 12-string acoustic guitar, the Brian May SJ-200. Only 100 were made available, with a design including AAA rosewood back and sides, a AAA Sitka spruce top and a two-piece AAA maple neck. Meanwhile, May's wife Anita Dobson has revealed the possible future of Queen after her 78-year-old husband suffered a "minor stroke" in September which initially left him without any control over one of his arms, and which he has since regained control of. "They will do little bits and bobs, but they won't do those big tours," Dobson told The Mirror paper. May recently told Rolling Stone, "I don't think we're done. And I don't think we're going to say a final farewell tour. Because it never is, is it?," and Queen drummer Roger Taylor has also suggested they weren't done touring yet. Queen has recently been in the studio with their current frontman, Adam Lambert. In other Queen news, Part 2 of the Freddie Mercury video mini series celebrating the 40th anniversary vinyl rerelease of his 1985 solo album Mr. Bad Guy has revealed how Freddie's emotions dictated his approach to songwriting and from where he drew his inspiration. Freddie reveals that "the actual structure of the melody comes easy to meet's the lyrical content I find hard." He continues: "I like to write a nice little tune, but the lyrical content is difficult, I have to work on that part of it," he furthers, before candidly admitting "I'm not a poet and I hate writing lyrics anyway. I wish somebody else could do it." Mischievously, he adds, "I wish I had a Bernie Taupin, but I'm not like that. I like to do it all myself, I'm a greedy bitch." - NME/Music-News.com, 12/14/25...... 
In an Instagram post on Dec. 12, Paul Simon announced details of an "A Quiet Celebration" UK and European tour, set to kick off in 2026. The new dates come as an extension to the tour that the iconic singer-songwriter aunched in the US earlier in summer 2025 -- his comeback after seven years of being retired. The tour kicks off with three nights at the Congress Centre in Prague on Apr. 9, 10 and 12, before continuing with two stops in Berlin on Apr. 15 and 16 and two stops in Copenhagen on Apr. 18 and 19. From there, Simon will play three nights in Amsterdam (Apr. 22, 24, 25) and three nights in Brussels (Apr. 27, 28, 30). In May, Simon will make two back-to-back appearances at the Grand Rex in Paris on May 3 and 4, before kicking off the UK and Ireland dates. These include a show at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena, followed by two gigs in Glasgow on May 9 and 10. Two nights are lined up for London's Royal Albert Hall on May 13 and 14, before the tour wraps up in Dublin shortly after on May 20. Each night will open with a full rendition of his 33-minute, Grammy-nominated composition, "Seven Psalms," which he released in 2023, and followed by an assortment of classics and rarities. - NME, 12/12/25...... During a recent appearance on the CNN program The Story Is With Elex Michaelson, Sammy Hagar said his Las Vegas residency is "a dream come true for an elderly rock star." Hagar, 78, debuted his "The Best Of All Worlds" show in the spring at the Park MGM resort and now he's bringing the production back to Sin City for two more runs in 2026 -- and he's confessed he loves playing in Vegas because he gets to enjoy the fun of touring without all the travel. "It's the packing up and moving into hotels, travel, travel, travel, running around. You get to the show late. Some days you don't even have time to have a good meal," he told host Elex Michaelson. "But with the residency, you get a good night's sleep. They give you the best rooms on the planet. Great food - Vegas has got the best restaurants in the world; they're all in Las Vegas now. And it's just so much easier..." He added: "To me, it's a dream come true. It's extending my touring life. Otherwise, I don't know if I'd go on tour again and do a major tour. I mean, I could go out and do a few shows here and there. But anyway, Vegas, yes. Residency. Thank you." "The Best Of All Worlds" returns to Dolby Live at the Park MGM for 11 performances between Mar. 11-21 before the show returns for another stint from Sept. 18-Sept. 26. Hagar's band features his former Van Halen bassist bandmate Michael Anthony as well as guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Kenny Aronoff and Rai Thistlethwayte. - Music-News.com, 12/15/25...... Smokey Robinson has claimed that one of his rape accusers broke into his storage unit, video footage of which her lawyer has said could be an "AI fabrication." In March, four women claimed that the 85-year-old Motown icon committed sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence and created a hostile work environment during their time working as housekeepers between 2007 to April 2024. These original claims saw both Smokey and his wife Frances sued for a total of $50 million in damages, and through his lawyer, Christopher Frost, Robinson denied all claims as "vile," "false" and "an ugly method of trying to extract money." Now, one of the women who is suing the singer for sexual assault has denied she is the one allegedly caught on "blurry" footage video raiding Robinson's southern California storage unit. Robinson and Frances have accused the woman, identified in court filings as "Jane Doe 4," of accessing their unit without permission in November and stealing multiple boxes in a burglary supposedly caught on video. During a hearing on Dec. 11, the Robinsons' lawyer told a judge that Frances had looked over footage, identified the culprit as Jane Doe 4, filed a police report, and was now seeking an emergency restraining order. "It's blurry, like security tapes are, but it's clear to Mrs Robinson who it was," Frost said during a hearing. "You have to know the code, and you have to have a key to the lock. The only person who had that code and that key was Jane Doe 4." Her lawyer denied the claim, saying: "Our client has flatly denied any sort of involvement with this alleged burglary," and added that Frost was yet to produce the video. "It's completely and patently false." Los Angeles County Judge Kevin C. Brazile declined to issue a restraining order against the woman and the case continues. - NME, 12/12/25...... As the sole surviving The Monkees member Micky Dolenz prepares to hit the road in 2026 marking six decades of the iconic '60 pop group, he says he doesn't want to dwell on being the last surviving member following the death of Mike Nesmith aged 78 in 2021. "I feel it's time to take off the black armband and just celebrate the whole Monkees project," Dolenz told Billboard. "The show's not gonna be a memorial. It's not going to be heavily tributed. I'm just gonna sing the songs and tell the stories." Micky revealed the show -- currently set to run from February to November 2026 -- will include "videos from the original episodes" of The Monkees TV series, as some people still don't understand the band's formation and journey. He said: "I'll be focusing more on the chronology and on the TV show, using videos from the original episodes. I still have people ask, 'So what was it like when the group got the TV show?' I'm like, 'Omigod, have you ever heard of a thing called Wikipedia?' [laugh]. There's still a lot of people who are surprised when I explain how it came to be, that it was a musical comedy sitcom on NBC with us cast in it, not a band in the traditional sense." Dolenz added that "Even at the time, frankly, people didn't get it because it was the first time anything like that had happened. It's happened many times since -- Glee, for instance. They create the act and then have the acts go out. I want people to understand how the Monkees came about, so I'll be focusing on that, as well as the songs." - Billboard, 12/11/25...... 
Actor Anthony Geary, an eight-time Daytime Emmy winner who joined the cast of the long running soap opera General Hospital in 1978, died on Dec. 14 from complications following a scheduled operation. He was 78. Geary joined General Hospital for what was supposed to be a 13-week run, but audiences loved his pairing with Genie Francis' Laura so much that producers kept him on. The wedding episode between the two characters drew in 30 million viewers, making it the highest-rated episode in soap opera history. "In the beginning Luke Spencer was a complete bastard," Geary told People in 1980 of his character's introduction which found Luke raping Laura. "He was a cheap little punk who managed a disco and was a doper runner for the Mafia. He was a real killer." But Luke changed as he and Laura fell in love. The fictional couple split in 2001, and moved on with other relationships. "If you look at the way it started, it was sort of fated to end badly," he told ABC News in 2015. Following his retirement from General Hospital in 2015, Geary's character was killed off in 2022 after 44 years, as Luke's widow Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliott), told his former flame Laura, that Spencer was killed in a cable car "accident" in Austria. The role earned Geary a record eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama. In a statement shared to Instagram, General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini said the "entire General Hospital family is heartbroken" over the news. "Tony was a brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for," Valentini wrote. "His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer's, will live on through the generations of GH cast members who have followed in his footsteps. We send our sincerest sympathies to his husband, Claudio, family, and friends. May he rest in peace." Rocker and former General Hospital cast member Rick Springfield also offered a fond tribute to his friend. "He was already a big star when I came on the show [and] when my star started to rise, Tony never gave me any trouble with it or anything. He was always just really a sweet guy... You think of soaps, you think of Tony as one of the first. He had a great life... But it's always sad when someone leaves before their time," he said. - Canoe.com, 12/15/25...... It has been revealed that Joseph Byrd, the composer and leader of the trailblazing '60s psychedelic rock band The United States Of America, passed away suddenly on Nov. 2 at his home in Medford, Ore. He was 87 and no cause of death has been provided. Mr. Byrd was the central architect of the highly influential group, who were formed in Los Angeles in 1967 and were credited with incorporating electronics, musique concrète and experimentation into psych rock. Their sole album, which was self-titled and released in 1968, made use of early synthesisers and tape manipulation and is representative of the West Coast anti-commercial counterculture movement. It has been referenced by the likes of Stereolab, Julian Cope and Broadcast as a key influence and is remembered for pushing the boundaries of rock music, predicting later developments in experimental composition. Born on Dec. 19, 1937 in Louisville, Ky., Mr. Byrd studied with the avant-garde composers John Cage and LaMonte Young. His first live performance was at Yoko Ono's New York loft and he was part of Cage's Fluxus movement of radical live performances. He founded The United States of America with his then-girlfriend Dorothy Moskowitz after relocating from New York to Los Angeles, but they broke up after one record. Mr. Byrd recorded another influential record The American Metaphysical Circus in 1969 under the name Joe Byrd And The Field Hippies, and later became a professor of American music at Cal-State Fullerton. Among his work in later life was the creation of the robot sounds in the 1972 sci-fi classic Silent Running, which were largely credited for inspiring the Star Wars character R2-D2, and he also scored feature films from arthouse directors including Agnes Varda and Robert Altman. He is survived by his daughter Clarissa, two grandsons and his brother. - NME, 12/13/25...... 
Carl Carlton, the Detroit-bred R&B/soul star best known for his 1981 funk hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)," died on Dec. 14 at age 72. Carlton, who reportedly suffered a stroke six years ago, was born in the Motor City on May 21, 1953 and began performing at a young age under the name "Little Carl" Carlton. By 1964 he'd released his first singles for Lando Records, "I Think of How I Love Her" and "I Love True Love," scoring local hits the next year with the songs "So What" and "Don't You Need a Boy Like Me." After gaining attention with the first few songs, in 1968, Carlton signed to Back Beat Records, relocating to Houston to be closer to label founder Don Robey to release "Competition Ain't Nothing," which topped out at No. 36 on the R&B chart and quickly became a beloved hit on the U.K.'s Northern Soul scene. Already a budding singing star, Carlton graduated from Detroit's Murray Wight High School in 1970 and scored his first national hit in 1971 with "I Can Feel It." After Robey sold his label to ABC Records, the latter released a compilation of Carlton's early singles, You Can't Stop a Man in Love. Carlton finally broke through in 1974 with his biggest hit, a cover of Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love," a dreamy, yearning disco-tinged soul burner that became his highest-charting, most enduring hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in Nov. 1974. The singer bounced around to a few labels in the late 1970s, landing at 20th Century Records in the early 1980s and releasing his most well-known hit, the lascivious, Leon Haywood-penned R&B jam "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)," which earned Carlton a 1982 Grammy nomination for best R&B vocal performance, male. The song peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Oct. 1981 and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. The singer's son, Carlton Hudgens II, reported the news on his Facebook page on Dec. 14, writing, "RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of 'She's a Bad Mama Jama.' Long hard fight in life and you will be missed." - Billboard, 12/15/25.
Testifying before the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property on Dec. 9, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons claimed musicians are treated "worse than slaves" because of unpaid radio play. Simmons -- one of several music industry professionals who weighed in on the bill at the gathering on Capitol Hill -- spoke to the "injustice" of U.S. broadcast radio stations freely playing sound recordings without having to pay the performers who created them, a yearslong precedent that the AMFA would reverse if passed by Congress. "If you are against this bill, you are un-American," he said. "You cannot let this injustice continue," he continued. "It looks like a small issue... But our emissaries to the world are Elvis [Presley] and Frank Sinatra. And when [other countries] find out we're not treating our stars right -- in other words, worse than slaves. Slaves get food and water. Elvis and Bing Crosby and Sinatra got nothing for their performance." Currently, radio stations license the music they play over the air from rights organizations such as ASCAP and BMI -- but they are not required to pay record labels or performing artists for the use of their tracks. Songwriters do receive royalties for radio airplay, but the artists who performed on the recordings do not. Simmons' testimony can be viewed on 
Diana Ross will be among the headiners ringing in 2026 on Dec. 31 with a live Times Square NYC performance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest. The Motown legend, 80, will help anchor one of the most musically diverse telecasts in the show's 54-year history, with a 39-artist roster including the likes of Rick Springfield, New Kids on the Block, 4 Non Blondes, Goo Goo Dolls, Chappell Roan, Post Malone, Leon Thomas and Charlie Puth. Ross is set to perform a medley of her hits including "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down." "Together we begin a new year," the singer said in a statement. "Let's embrace a new beginning, new opportunities, new joy -- a celebration of love, where we all come together as we begin 2026." The 2025 edition will mark the longest telecast in the show's history, including an additional 90 minutes of programming compared to last year, with more than 85 songs set to be performed. - Billboard, 12/10/25...... Elton John has hit back at claims his house is "dirty" in a humorous manner after previously showing off a "dirty" oven door in an Instagram Reel. After taking heat from fans after sharing a peek of the door accompanied by snippets of his 1974 hit, "Step into Christmas," Sir Elton, 78, took to social media once again in a comedic bid to rescue his reputation. "Hello people, it's Elton John here," the Rocket Man began. "A couple of weeks ago, I did some videos in this kitchen about how crazy 'Step Into Christmas' was driving me, and it got an incredible response, which I was quite startled about." John went on to describe his shock at fans' reactions to his oven door. "A lot of the response was kind of negative about how dirty my oven was," Elton explained. "My oven door, my oven window. And I can assure you, I don't have anything dirty in this house. I've never had anything dirty. I'm not a dirty person!" Donning a pair of bright pink, feather-trimmed rubber gloves, Elton declared he would redeem himself. "To prove I don't have anything that's dirty, I'm going to do something to show you," he announced. The video was quickly followed by a sequel, captioned simply, "Don't think your comments go unnoticed," in which Elton sprayed cleaner onto his oven door and gave it a scrub. Before slamming the oven door shut, he concluded: "Look, I've got the cleanest oven window in Windsor." - Music-News.com, 12/9/25...... It has been revealed that ABBA's Voyage show has contributed a staggering £2.06 billion to the UK economy. The ambitious virtual show, which features CGI reincarnations (or 'ABBA-tars') of the Swedish pop band, began in 2022 at the purpose-built ABBA Arena in east London. It is currently taking bookings until June 2026. Now, an analysis report has revealed ABBA Voyage's cumulative social and economic impact across the capital and the UK. The document was compiled and assessed by global music, culture and creative economy consultancy Sound Diplomacy. The analysis shows that Voyage has had a significant and positive economic and social impact, not only on London and the local area (comprising the boroughs of Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest), but on the wider UK by contributing £2.06 billion in turnover to the UK economy between May 2022 - May 2025, and 1.14 billion in GVA (Gross Value Added). It has been seen over three million visitors, of whom almost a fifth (18%) travelled from outside the UK. "ABBA Voyage has been an absolute sensation, redefining the possibilities of a music concert and delivering a tremendous boost to our economy," London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement. - NME, 12/10/25...... Bob Dylan announced on Dec. 8 that he's extending his "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour into 2026 with a 27-date U.S. run, this time hitting smaller markets beginning on Mar. 2 at The Orpheum in Omaha, Neb., then South Dakota, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina and Georgia in late winter/early spring. Dylan, 84, will also visit his native Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana before winding down on May 1 with a show at the Abilene Auditorium in Abilene, Tex. The rock bard has mostly been serving up songs from his 39th studio album on the past "Rough and Rowdy" tours, mixed in with some reworkings of classics from his catalog, only taking brief breaks from the 37-year-old road show commonly referred to the Never Ending Tour. In 2024, for the second year in a row, the musician briefly stepped away from his tour to appear alongside fellow touring star Willie Nelson at the Outlaw Music Festival. Dylan's most recent album was 2023's Shadow Kingdom, which featured fresh recordings of songs from the early years of his now nearly 70-year-career. - Billboard, 12/8/25...... David Byrne has announced he is adding more European shows to his summer 2026 world tour behind his latest album, 
Universal Pictures has released the official teaser trailer for the latest Elvis Presley project from director Baz Luhrmann, EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert. The trailer gives fans a dynamic glimpse into Luhrmann's distinctive, high-energy style, suggesting a blend of archival footage and innovative cinematic techniques to bring Presley's legendary stage presence to life. Known for his maximalist approach in films like Moulin Rouge! and the 
As Dick Van Dyke reaches his milestone 100th birthday on Dec. 13, the beloved American entertainer has shared his secrets for a long, happy life in a People cover story. "People say, 'What did you do right?' I don't know. I'm rather lazy," he says. "I've always thought that anger is one thing that eats up a person's insides -- and hate -- and I never really was able to work up a feeling of hate. I think that was one of the chief things that kept me going." Asked how he's feeling these days, he said: "I have no pain, no discomfort. Short-term memory problems, it's true. I can't remember what I had for breakfast, so I have my wife (Arlene Silver, 54) here, who is in possession of my memory bank. But my long-term memory's pretty good." Van Dyke also credits Arlene for "keeping me in the moment and alive every day...Thank God for that." Asked what he'd like to be remembered for, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins star responded, "What I've left in the way of children's entertainment and children's music. That's my legacy." And what would he hope to hear at the pearly gates? "Come on in. I hope I make it to the pearly gates and not the other one. I've been a good boy." - People, 12/8/25...... Phil Upchurch, an iconic guitarist and session musician who collaborated with Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway and countless other music legends, passed away on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles, according to his wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch. He was 84. A cause of death was not revealed. Over a remarkable career, Mr. Upchurch recorded nearly 30 albums and appeared on more than 1,000 recordings. Notable contributions include Chaka Khan's 1978 hit "I'm Every Woman," which topped Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for three weeks, and Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night," from his 1979 solo album, Off the Wall. Mr. Upchurch was also featured on all of Hathaway's solo studio and live albums, as well as Curtis Mayfield's soundtracks for the films Superfly, Claudine, Let's Do It Again and Sparkle, the latter featuring Aretha Franklin. The Chicago-born musician also performed or recorded with other music legends, including George Benson, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker and Stan Getz. Beyond performing, Mr. Upchurch authored two instructional music books and completed an autobiography, which is set to be released posthumously. - Billboard, 12/6/25.
More key cast inner circle roles have been announced in director Sam Mendes' upcoming four-part Beatles biopics, including John Lennon's aunt, the Fab Four's press officer, Paul McCartney's dad, Beatles manager Brian Epstein and record producer George Martin. Lennon's beloved Aunt Mimi Smith, his guardian as a child, will be portrayed by Leanne Best (Line of Duty, Star Wars: The Force Awakens who has a Beatles connection herself -- she's the niece of original Beatles drummer Pete Best. In addition, The Walking Dead's David Morrissey will portray Paul McCartney's father, Jim McCartney; James Norton (Bob Marley: One Love) will play manager Brian Epstein; and Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones) has been confirmed as "fifth Beatle," producer George Martin. Bobby Schofield (Cherry) has been tapped to portray the band's road manager and McCartney and George Harrison's lifelong pal music biz executive Neil Aspinall; Daniel Hoffman-Gill will step into the shoes of road manager and personal assistant Mal Evans; Arthur Darvill (And Mrs) is on board as journalist/publicist and producer Derek Taylor; and Adam Pally (Sonic the Hedgehog 3) is slated to play the band's quarrelsome music manager, Allen Klein. The thespians join the previously announced main cast -- Paul Mescal (McCartney), Harris Dickinson (Lennon), Barry Keoghan (Starr) and Joseph Quinn (Harrison) -- as well as the actresses portraying their wives: Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) as McCartney's wife Linda McCartney, Shogun's Anna Sawai as Lennon's wife Yoko Ono, The White Lotus' Aimee Lou Wood as Harrison's wife Pattie Boyd and How to Have Sex's Mia McKenna-Bruce as Starr's wife, Maureen Starkey. The announcement of the latest cast additions can be viewed on 
Paul Rodgers has revealed that he "dodged a bullet" by skipping Bad Company's recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rodgers and Simon Kirke, the two surviving members of the original Bad Company lineup, had been due to perform together for the first time in six years at the Rock Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on November 8, but Rodgers didn't part due to health issues which prevented him from travelling -- and he's now told Rolling Stone that he has no regrets about missing the big monent. "About a week prior to leaving for rehearsals for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction and TV show, my blood pressure was very high and I started to have chest pains and heart palpitations," Rodgers, 75, said. "I saw my doctor, who absolutely forbid me to get on a plane. He recommended that I stay home, rest and remain calm, and I feel that I dodged a bullet by doing that. I am in the zen phase of my life and enjoy being immersed in a peaceful and calm life. I can sing again and play daily to a crowd of one," he added. The singer had previously confirmed he would not be attending in a post on Instagram, writing: "My hope was to be at the Rock Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritize my health. I have no problem singing, it's the stress of everything else. Thanks for understanding. Simon along with some outstanding musicians will be stepping in for me -- guaranteed to rock." Bad Company's frontman Rodgers, drummer Kirke, late guitarist Mick Ralphs and late bassit Boz Burrell were among the acts saluted at the annual ceremony on Nov. 8. Ralphs died in June at the age of 81 while Burrell passed away in 2006. The band's former vocalist Brian Howe died in 2020 at the age of 66. - Music-News, 12/5/25...... Six months after his death, Ozzy Osbourne has been posthumously with Birmingham's Lord Mayor's Award on what would have been the heavy metal icon's 77th birthday. The prestigious annual honor presented to an individual (group or organization) for "outstanding achievement or exceptional service to the city and people of Birmingham" was an especially fitting tribute to the late rocker given his love for him hometown. In an 
In April 1985, Freddie Mercury released his first solo album outside of Queen, Mr. Bad Guy. The album went on to achieve a gold disc and UK Top 10 success by spawning four hit singles in Britain, "I Was Born To Love You", "Made In Heaven", "Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow" and the UK No.1.charting single "Living On My Own." On Dec. 5, a new 
Legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, who played on seminal recordings by the likes of Otis Redding, Booker T & the M.G.'s, Wilson Pickett and many more, died on Dec. 3 in Nashville. He was 84. Mr. Cropper's son confirmed his father's death on Facebook. "It's with the heaviest of hearts that I share the news that my amazing Dad passed away this morning," Stephen Cropper posted. "He certainly lived an incredible life and enjoyed every minute of entertaining you all. Please lift prayers of comfort for my family." As the guitarist for Booker T & the M.G.'s, which served as Stax Records' house band during the 1960s, Mr. Cropper was an architect of the sound, with his ringing, often spare guitar work and deft touch heard on R&B and pop classics including Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood," Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" and Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" (Sam Moore immortalized Mr. Cropper with his "Play It, Steve," ad lib on "Soul Man"). Mr. Cropper, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T & the M.G.'s, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, was also a noted producer, telling The New York Times in 2018 that he finished producing "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" under great duress following Redding's death in a plane crash in 1967. "If I had a week to work on it, it probably would have been overembellished," he said. Instead, he finished it in less than 24 hours. The song earned Mr. Cropper one his two Grammys, winning for best rhythm & blues song at the 1969 ceremony. Mr. Cropper was nominated for nine Grammys, including most recently in 2024 for best contemporary blues album for his set, Friendlytown. In addition to "Dock of the Bay," he won at the 1995 ceremony for best pop instrumental performance for the Booker T. & the M.G.'s track "Cruisin'." Mr. Cropper experienced a renaissance in 1979 when The Blues Brothers emerged. He got a phone call from John Belushi, who was half of the fictional blues duo Jake and Elwood Blues, with his "brother," Dan Aykroyd, and recorded with the pair and made a suggestion that was golden. "What they wanted to do probably would have made it anyway, I don't know, was basically all slow, kind of medium-tempo blues songs. Nothing wrong with blues songs, but there was nothing in there commercial to dance to," Mr. Cropper recalled in an interview for the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in 2019. "Steve Cropper's offerings to American music are significant but his contribution to soul and R&B music are immeasurable," Soulsville Foundation CEO Pat Mitchell Worley -- which includes the Stax Museum, Stax Music Academy, and Stax Charter School -- said in a statement. Survivors include wife Angel Cropper and children Andrea, Cameron, Stephen and Ashley. - Billboard, 12/3/25.
Eric Clapton has announced a huge one-off show in the UK at The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in August 2026. Slowhand's Aug. 23 gig is the first show to be revealed for the 2026 Sandringham summer series, which will run between Aug. 20-23. The show will see the guitar icon break out classics including "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight," as well as newer tracks from his most recent album, Meanwhile, which dropped in 2024. "Eric Clapton is one of the greatest musicians of all time and it's a dream come true for all of us at HeritageLive Festivals to have him play at The Sandringham Estate for us next August," said Giles Cooper of HeritageLive Festivals. "It's going to be such a special and unique event -- one of those gigs where you say in years to come 'I was there!'. We just can't wait!" Clapton headlined a US tour earlier in 2025 behind the new album, his 22nd studio effort which included contributions from the likes of Van Morrison, Bradley Walker, Judith Hill and the late Jeff Beck. Before the US tour kicked off in September, MTV confirmed details of a feature-length special about the former Yardbirds member, titled Eric Clapton Unplugged Over 30 Years Later, and the three-time Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame inductee also made a cameo alongside Shania Twain in Spinal Tap's "final" concert movie, Stone Henge: The Final Finale. - New Musical Express, 11/27/25...... DEVO and The B-52s will showcase their unique brand of eccentricities with a two huge co-headlining shows in the UK next June. On Nov. 28, the two New Wave legends announced a gig at London's O2 on June 20, 2026, followed the next evening with a show at Manchester's AO Arena. Both bands have previously embarked on their respective farewell tours in the past few years, but later decided to keep playing live after joining forces on Saturday Night Live and reigniting demand from fans. The two UK dates come as an extension to their "Cosmic De-Evolution Tour," which has already seen them take to stages across the US and Canada. For The B-52s, it will be their first time performing live in the UK since 2019, and for DEVO, it comes after the alt icons headed out on their "50 Years of De-Evolution Tour" in 2023. Joining the two bands at the London and Manchester shows will be Scottish punk legends The Rezillos and fellow New Wave artist Lene Lovich. - NME, 11/28/25...... The L.A.-based duo Sparks have announced details of a new gig taking place at London's Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2026. The new live show takes place as part of the Live At Chelsea concert series, which is returning in 2026 for its first edition in four years. Brothers Ron and Russel Mael will be taking to the stage on June 12, after dropping their acclaimed 28th studio album MAD! and companion EP "MADDER!" in 2024. The duo first broke onto the charts in 1974 with their UK hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us." Sparks are the third artist confirmed to be headlining the outdoor shows at Royal Hospital Chelsea in 2026, following The Proclaimers (on June 13) and The Beach Boys (June 14). - NME, 12/1/25..... In a new interview with Vulture.com, David Byrne revealed he is considering making another concert movie. Asked if he was considering adapting his new "Who Is The Sky?" tour for Broadway and hiring a noted director to film it -- as he did with Spike Lee for 2020's acclaimed production "American Utopia -- Byrne said: "I'm thinking about that, so we'll see what happens there. Because, yes, it's a very extensive tour and it's not going to last forever." The former Talking Heads frontman has been involved in several groundbreaking concert movies, both with his former band and solo. 1984's Stop Making Sense was filmed by Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme, who filmed Talking Heads during four nights at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Capturing the band at the peak of their creativity, the combination of Byrne's staging and Demme's cinematic artistry led it to be considered one of the greatest concert movies ever made. A24 released a 4K restoration of the film in 2024. - NME, 11/28/25...... Speaking to Variety, Elton John has shared some grave news about the current state of his eyesight. Sir Elton, who first opened up in 2024 about how an infection left him blind in one eye and with poor vision in the other, says the loss of his vision has left him "devastated." "Because I lost my right eye and my left eye's not so good, the last 15 months have been challenging for me because I haven't been able to see anything, watch anything, read anything," John explained, adding that he still has "hope" that the situation will get better. "I've had the most incredible life, and there is hope. I've just gotta be patient that someday science will help me with this one. Once they help me with this one, I'll be fine," he said. "It's exactly like the AIDS situation. You mustn't give up hope, you must be stoic, you must be strong and you must always try and batter the door down to try and improve things," he added. The latest comments come following Elton opening up last year about other health issues he has been facing, and told fans in Oct. 2024 that "there's not much of me left" following multiple surgeries. "I don't have tonsils, adenoids or an appendix. I don't have a prostate, I don't have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee," he said at the premiere of his career-spanning documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. "In fact, the only thing left to me is my left hip. But I'm still here." Given the recent struggles, the Rocket Man confirmed to Varietythat he would "not be going on tour again" once his extensive "Farewell Yellow Brick Road"' tour ended in July 2023. However, he later said he would perform "the odd show," giving fans hope they would be able to see the music icon once more, and he was recently confirmed as the first headliner for the Rock in Rio 2026 festival in Brazil on Sept. 7, 2026. - NME, 11/27/25...... 
The estate of late Country legend Johnny Cash has launched legal action against Coca-Cola, accusing the company of unlawfully imitating the late country icon's voice in a recent advertisement. The suit was filed in Nashville on Nov. 25 under Tennessee's newly enacted ELVIS Act, which safeguards artists' voices from unauthorized commercial use. The Cash estate argues that a Coca-Cola jingle aired during college football broadcasts since August features vocals that sound "strikingly" like Cash, performed by tribute artist Shawn Barker. While the Cash estate has previously licensed the musician's songs for advertising -- including "Ragged Old Flag" and "Personal Jesus" during Super Bowl telecasts -- they claim Coca-Cola bypassed the proper channels this time. "The trust brings this lawsuit to protect the voice of Johnny Cash -- and to send a message that protects the voice of all of the artists whose music enriches our lives," said estate attorney Tim Warnock. he lawsuit seeks an injunction to pull the ad from circulation, alongside financial damages for alleged violations of Cash's publicity rights, federal false endorsement laws, and Tennessee's consumer protection statute. Coca-Cola has yet to respond publicly to the claims. Barker himself, who has toured globally for more than two decades with his tribute show "The Man in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash," is not named in the suit. - Music-News.com, 11/27/25...... Mick Jagger has led tributes to the recently deceased British playwright Tom Stoppard, who died "peacefully" on Nov. 29 at age 88 at his Dorset home surrounded by family. "Tom Stoppard was my favourite playwright," the Rolling Stones frontman posted to 
Jackson Browne shared a statement on his 
In an interview with Variety, Elton John calls out American politicians who are rolling back support for HIV/AIDS research. "I just am enraged by it," John said about what he sees as a lack of political support for cobatting the lethal epidemic. "It's very frustrating when you've got the tools in your hand to end it, and then you find that countries in Africa, Russia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe won't help." Although Elton praised the efforts of the current administration to bring an end to the war in Gaza, he simultaneously called them out for fumbling an issue as vital as ending HIV and AIDS. "There's another war with people who are suffering from HIV and AIDS that should be able to get their medicine but can't, because governments won't let them. It's inhumane," the Rocket Man said. "So my big beef at the moment is, yes, thank God, maybe there's peace, after more things are sorted out. But there are crimes against millions of other people that are happening because of governments and stigma and hate," he added. The administration of Pres. Donald Trump has halted funds originally intended for global programs aimed at HIV prevention and openly threatened federal funding for domestic programs aimed at helping those afflicted with the disease. John said if the president dedicated his efforts to helping end the AIDS epidemic, he could go down as "one of the greatest presidents in history." "If he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap," he added. In other Elton news, on Nov. 26 the music legend was unveiled as the first headliner for Rock in Rio 2026 -- despite his announcement in July 2023 that he woud be retiring from touring once his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour ended. Elton, 78, however later said that he would perform "the odd show" occasionally. So far, these have included the 50th annual Candlelight Concert in the US in Dec. 2024 and the opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center last summer. In 2023, John also played live at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, where he inducted his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Back in October, John also played to the biggest crowd since he quit touring two years ago at the Singapore Grand Prix. Now after nearly a decade away from the Brazilian capital, the Rock In Rio festival announced on 
Gordon Lightfoot's 1976 hit 
A malicious prosecution lawsuit brought against the Eagles' Don Henley and his longtime manager, Irving Azoff, has been dismissed. It follows a previous case against three collectables experts in March, after Glenn Horowitz, Edward Kosinski and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi were accused of attempting to sell handwritten notes and lyrics from the classic 1977 single "Hotel California," as well as its follow-up "Life In The Fast Lane," back in 2022. Officials estimated at the time that the documents were worth over $1 million in total, with the defendants maintaining that they had legally obtained the lyric sheets from author Ed Sanders, who was hired to write a biography for The Eagles in the late '70s. Sanders sold the notepad to Horowitz -- a rare book dealer -- for $50,000 back in 2005. However, the judge dropped the case midway after concluding that Henley had "manipulated" prosecutors by withholding evidence, saying at the time that Henley, Azoff, and their lawyers had "used the privilege to obfuscate and hide information that they believed would be damaging to their position that the lyric sheets were stolen," Henley has since maintained that the documents were stolen. In February, this prompted Horowitz to sue both Henley and Azoff for malicious prosecution. He alleged the pair had manipulated New York prosecutors into charging him and two other innocent men. Henley and Azoff say they did nothing wrong and pointed to the collapse of the criminal case as being based on a technicality. Now a judge in a New York court has sided with the duo and dismissed the malicious prosecution claims as legally deficient. Henley's attorney Dan Petrocelli said: "The only malicious prosecution was Horowitz's own lawsuit, which the court promptly and rightly dismissed." Horowitz's lawyer, Caitlin Robin, said that they will appeal Justice Waterman-Marshall's decision. - NME, 11/22/25...... On Nov. 21 Neil Young took to 
Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman is reportedly "recuperating at home" after undergoing major brain surgery. In September, the musician announced that he would be postponing a string of planned concerts as he was due to undergo an operation to treat Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) -- a neurological disorder characterised by the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. In a statement posted to his official website, Wakeman revealed he had undergone a corrective "shunt" surgery earlier in November and the procedure was "very successful." "I had the necessary corrective 'shunt' brain surgery last week which I am pleased to say was very successful and I am now recuperating at home being cared for by my lovely wife and our wonderful furry healing animals!" he wrote. "I have to take things easy for a while but have been told by my surgeon that I will be perfectly fine to travel to America for the tour with my son Oliver in March (2026) and will be fine for all future engagements after that." Wakeman went on to note that he plans to appear at two charity concerts in Norwich and Ipswich, England on Dec. 19 and 20. Elsewhere in the post, the musician insisted the surgery hasn't impacted his ability to play the piano. "I am also pleased to say that it doesn't seem to have affected my piano playing in any way as I still seem to be very capable of hitting the odd wrong note here and there when I lose my concentration!" the 76-year-old continued. "Once again, I'd like to thank everybody who wished me well over the last few months for a speedy recovery, as it really did mean a lot to me." Wakeman has faced many health issues over the years, and in 2023, he shared that he had macular degeneration in his left eye and arthritis in his hands, legs, and feet. - Music-News.com, 11/26/25...... In a new interview with the London Telegraph, Squeeze frontman Glenn Tilbrook revealed that he was abused when he was a teenager. Tilbrook, 68, claimed that an older man abused him when he was 13 at the first gig he ever went to. "It was in a scout hut in Eltham, and it was the Irish band Tír na nÓg, who I really liked. I went by myself. I would have been just early 13, and that's where I met, not this guy, Ron, but another guy. And so this guy just says, 'Come over to our squat.' And that's where I met Ron actually, at that squat." Speaking about the alleged abuse, he went on: "I don't feel angry. [But] as I've got older, I've realised things that haven't been OK, in certain ways that I behave." Tilbrook described his childhood as "quite dysfunctional". He said: "There was no parental control. I was taking drugs and having sex at 13, which perhaps wasn't so great." Elsewhere, former Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis died earlier this month, aged 74. Since then the band announced on 
Beloved reggae singer and Jamaican musical icon Jimmy Cliff has died on the morning of Nov. 24. He was 81. The "Many Rivers to Cross" singer's wife, Latifah Chambers, announced the news in an 
Mr. Cliff continued to release albums throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, earning praise and respect from his musical peers, including Bruce Springsteen, who regularly added the little-known Cliff song "Trapped" to his band's legendarily lengthy live sets; a live version of the song was included on the star-studded 1985 famine relief album We Are the World. A joyful ambassador of reggae, Mr. Cliff won a best reggae album Grammy in 1985 for Cliff Hanger the same year he appeared alongside E Street Band guitarist "Little" Steven Van Zandt on the anti-apartheid song "Sun City." After providing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones' 1986 album Dirty Work, Mr. Cliff was back on the big screen in the Robin Williams comedy Club Paradise, whose soundtrack featured his duet with Elvis Costello on "Seven Day Weekend." Following a long chart drought, Mr. Cliff's 1993 cover of Johnny Nash's