Cher has gone viral online after seemingly confusing Luther Vandross with Kendrick Lamar at the 2026 Grammy Awards at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 1. After being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy by host Trevor Noah, Cher was asked to stick around to announce the Record of the Year category, and handed her an envelope, to which the 79-year-old "Believe" singer confessed that she was told the winner would be "on the prompter." Cher then opened the envelope and read out "Luther" and then said "Vandross" -- seemingly referring to R&B icon Luther Vandross, who died at the age of 54 in 2005. "Oh, the Grammy goes to Luther Vandross... Oh...no... Kendrick Lamar!" she said. Yet, Cher -- who has revealed he struggled with dyslexia as a child -- quickly realized her error and announced the correct winners -- Kendrick Lamar and SZA for their 2024 song "Luther," a track that contains a sample of Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 1982 track "If This World Were Mine." On Feb. 2, Grammy Awards executive producer Ben Winston spoke with Rolling Stone's Music Now podcast, and shared Cher wasn't upset by the snafu. "I do think that is like, some of the things that you want from great music awards shows," Winston said. "I think if that happened at the Oscars, it'd be like, '[gasps] Oh my goodness! It was a disaster! "But on our show, I loved it. If I could go back in time, I'd want that to happen again. 'Cause she's happy with it. She had a great time! So I just thought it was a really lovely moment. And you want a bit of anarchy, and you don't know what's going to happen. Everything is so rehearsed these days." - Music-News.com/Billboard, 2/3/26...... 
In other Grammy-related news, Sharon Osbourne is calling the 2026 show's tribute to her late husband Ozzy Osbourne "a moment carved into musical history." "Last night was bigger than a performance," Sharon posted on Instagram on Feb. 2. "It was a moment carved into musical history. Reminding everyone that rock isn't nostalgia -- it's alive, evolving, and still the heartbeat of music." Her praise was for a performance during the In Memoriam section of the Grammys in which Post Malone and Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash led a group that also included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, GNR bassist Duff McKagan and producer Andrew Watt , who was behind the boards for Osbourne's final two studio albums, 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9. The band thundered through the 1970 Black Sabbath anti-war song "War Pigs," and Sharon re-posted a shot from the performance that included footage of her getting emotional alongside the couple's adult children Jack and Kelly Osbourne. Sharon was also honored for her monumental impact on the music industry at Billboard's Power 100 event over the Grammys weekend, receiving the Visionary Award. Meanwhile, Sharon has revealed that she is "seriously thinking" about running for mayor of Birmingham, the UK home city of Ozzy, in a brief interview with Billboard while on the red carpet for this year's Grammys. Sharon was told by host Leila Cobo that she was getting praise for how well she spoke at one of the Grammy-related events ahead of the Feb. 1 ceremony. In response, Sharon thanked the host for her compliment and suggested that the skill may come in handy soon as she is "seriously thinking about running for mayor of Birmingham." Due to the quick pace of the interview, there was little time for Sharon to expand on why she wanted to run, or how far along she was into looking at the process. Sharon has previously said that she was thinking of getting involved in politics in Birmingham after learning that someone with a terrorism conviction was allegedly seeking a seat on Birmingham's City Council. "This has nothing to do with racism. I think I'm gonna move to Birmingham and put my name down for the ballot to be on the council. I'm serious," she said. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 2/3/26...... David Byrne has added fresh UK and Ireland shows to his "Who Is The Sky?" world tour. The former Talking Heads frontman will now be heading to Dublin (June 7), (July 18), Edinburgh (July 21), and Cardiff (July 26) alongside his already announced headline slot at Latitude Festival in Suffolk on July 24. Byrne toured Australia and New Zealand in January and is set for his first UK and European leg in 2026 across February and March, before heading to North America in the spring -- including slots at both Coachella Festival weekends. His European shows include a mix of headline gigs and festival slots, with the musician set to appear at the likes of Open'er Festival in Poland (July 1) and Bilbao BBK Live in Spain. Byrne is touring behind his his first solo album in over six years, also titled Who Is The Sky?. - NME, 2/3/26...... In other UK touring news, Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton have added more UK and European dates to their "Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello" tour in June and July. Due to demand, eight dates have been added to bring the total to 13, including a new show at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 20 and others in cities including Brighton, Stockholm, Hamburg and Oslo. Costello first announced a five-date tour in December, taking in Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Newcastle and the TW Classic festival in Werchter, Belgium. He's joined by his band The Imposters, as well as guitarist Sexton, best known for his time in Bob Dylan's band. Sexton joined Costello for the 2021 "Hello Again" tour and has continued to hit the road with him in the time since. Two of The Imposters, keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas, were members of his band The Attractions, which formed in 1977. As the tour's name suggests, the shows will see Costello concentrate on playing material from his earlier discography, including the 1977 debut album My Aim Is True and the 1986 record Blood & Chocolate, as well as other surprises. - NME, 2/3/26...... 
The years long legal feud between Linda Cummings Ramone, the widow of Johnny Ramone and the late Joey Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh (real name Mitchel Hyman) over the Ramones' legacy has finally reached a resolution. According to a Feb. 2 court filing from music manager Dave Frey, a former board member of Ramones Productions Inc. (RPI), a settlement in an estate dispute has been reached with Hyman, who was previously the other 50% owner of RPI, transferring his share to Linda Ramone per a binding term sheet agreement dated Nov. 18, 2025. Linda Ramone now owns 100% of the shares of RPI and has free rein to fully control RPI. Joey Ramone (born Jeffrey Hyman) and Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), who were not actual brothers, both died in the early 2000s. A 2005 shareholder agreement split the Ramones' legacy exactly 50-50 between each family, an arrangement that spurred years of bitter infighting between Cummings-Ramone and Leigh. - Billboard, 2/3/26...... As The Guess Who frontman Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman recently returned to the stage for the first time in decades, the other half of the band, Guess Who founding drummer Garry Peterson and founding bassist James Kale, has launched a new lawsuit. In a new complaint against performing rights management firm BMI, Peterson and Kale claim they suffered millions of dollars in losses when lead singer/songwriter Cummings terminated his entire performing rights agreement with BMI. Cummings owns the publishing rights to the band's biggest hits, including "American Woman," "These Eyes," and "No Time." He reportedly took the step of yanking The Guess Who's songs from the BMI licensing catalogue covering concert venues because he wanted to stop Peterson and Kale staging what he called "fake bullshit shows" using a different singer and guitarist. In the lawsuit, Peterson and Kale claim they had spent months planning a US tour when they were told by BMI that Cummings had terminated his affiliation agreement "effective immediately." Peterson and Kale cancelled their shows as a result. Peterson and Kale now contend that BMI misinterpreted the termination's effective date. They argue the agreement almost certainly remained in effect during a notice period that had not yet expired, meaning their concerts did not need to be cancelled. "It's not just Garry Peterson and Jim Kale who suffered," said the plaintiffs' lawyer, in an interview with Rolling Stone. "In some cases, the venues had no time to find substitute acts and went dark. Some promoters lost a lot of money promoting the shows. What happened doesn't make sense. With most contracts, particularly commercial contracts, you have to give notice." Cummings and Bachman launched their "Takin' It Back" GW reunion tour with a show in Ontario on Jan. 31. - Music-News.com, 2/3/26....... Deep Purple have announced a special live show in the UK for 2026. The band will play a hometown gig at the famed Royal Albert Hall venue in London on Nov. 25, which will see them reconnect with one of the most significant venues in their storied history. In 1969, Deep Purple became the first rock band to premiere a full classical composition with an orchestra at the historic venue -- a landmark moment in British music. The "Smoke On The Water" group's forthcoming return to the Royal Albert Hall is billed as a "one night only" event, following a concert at London's Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith the previous evening, Nov. 24. Per a press release, the new date will be "a full-throttle Deep Purple rock show, showcasing a band that remains creatively unstoppable, musically fearless, and utterly commanding on stage." "In the grandeur of the Royal Albert Hall, the band will once again prove why they remain one of rock's most compelling live forces, making this event an essential moment for fans old and new alike," it adds. Before heading to the capital, Deep Purple are set to take to the stage at Newcastle's Utilita Arena (Nov. 18), Glasgow's OVO Hydro (Nov. 19), Birmingham's BP Pulse Arena (Nov. 21) and Manchester's AO Arena (Nov. 22). Deep Purple will also tour across Europe in the coming year, and play shows in Japan, Indonesia and Mexico. The band released their latest studio album, =11, in the summer of 2024. That year, they played a gig at London's O2 as part of their UK and European tour. Their most recent live performance took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in Nov. 2025. Deep Purple are currently fronted by singer Ian Gillan, alongside bassist Roger Glover, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Don Airey and guitarist Simon McBride. =1 marked the band's first album with McBride, who joined the line-up after longtime member Steve Morse left due to personal circumstances. Late last year, Gillan revealed that he was losing his eyesight and said retirement was "not far off." - NME, 2/3/26...... 
In a new interview with the UK paper Daily Mail, Queen's Brian May has said his band is ruling out a tour in the US anytime soon as America has become a "dangerous place." Queen last hit the road in North America in 2023, as part of their ambitious "Rhapsody Tour" with Adam Lambert. However, May now says that "America is a dangerous place at the moment, so you have to take that into account." Reflecting on how the US had changed since Queen first visited in their early days, May continued: "It's very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America and we love it, but it's not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment." The guitarist's comments come amid a troubling period in the US under the administration of Pres. Donald Trump. Many artists and figures from the entertainment world have spoken out recently, as protests continue against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents, in particular, have triggered outrage across the States. ICE has described its highly controversial actions in Minnesota as "the largest mass deportation operation in American history." Celebrities who have condemned ICE and Pres. Trump include Neil Young, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Green Day, Moby, Duran Duran, Dave Matthews, Stranger Things star Joe Keery and Spider-Man actor Yuri Lowenthal. - NME, 1/30/26...... In related news, Bruce Springsteen's anti-ICE song "Streets of Minneapolis" has made a No. 1 sales debut on Billboard Digital Song Sales chart dated Feb. 7. The song, which can be streamed on YouTube, was the highest-selling song in the US in the week ending Jan. 29, even with it being available for just two days of the tracking period. "Streets of Minneapolis," released on Jan. 28, sold 16,000 downloads, according to Luminate. It marks Springsteen's first No. 1 on the all-format Digital Song Sales survey, which began in 2004 following the proliferation of paid downloads on the internet. In fact, it's his first track to reach the ranking's top 20, exceeding the No. 22 peak of Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes' "Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)," for which he joined its all-star cast, in 2024. Springsteen wrote and recorded the anti-ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) song following the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January amid Operation Metro Surge, during which undocumented immigrants have been targeted and apprehended by ICE. Springsteen first performed the song live in Minneapolis Jan. 30 during the Tom Morello-helmed Defend Minnesota benefit concert (the performance can be viewed on X/Twitter). Thanks to its sales plus streams and early radio airplay, "Streets of Minneapolis" also bows at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. In addition to its sales, the song drew 678,000 official U.S. streams and 175,000 in airplay audience in that two-day span. Meanwhile across the pond, The Boss is currently on course to break into the UK Top 20 for the first time in nearly three decades with his stoic new protest song. According to the Official Chart: First Look, which provides an early glimpse of chart activity based on preliminary sales and streaming reports, Springsteen's latest offering is currently sitting at No. 16. If the track maintains its momentum through the Feb. 6 final tally, it will mark a historic milestone for the legendary musician. Springsteen has not graced the UK Top 20 since 1997, when "Secret Garden" captured the nation's attention. - Billboard/NME, 2/2/26...... In more Billboard chart action, Barry Manilow has extended his history on the Adult Contemporary chart dated Feb. 7, with his latest single, the poignant "Once Before I Go," entering the chart at No. 30, up 23% to 94,000 in audience via plays on 25 stations Jan. 23-29, according to Luminate. The song extends the legendary crooner's AC chart history to more than half a century -- 51 years and three months -- since he first appeared on the list dated Nov. 7, 1974, with his breakout ballad "Mandy". The classic ballad also marked his first ranking on any Billboard chart. Manilow boasts 28 AC top 10s, among 53 total entries. Until recently, he last reached the chart with his cover of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which hit No. 14 in Dec. 2023. Acclaimed songwriters Peter Allen and Dean Pitchford co-penned "Once Before I Go," which Allen (who died in 1992) recorded in 1983 -- and sent to No. 26 on AC that October. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Demonte Posey co-produced Manilow's version. Manilow, 82, has shows scheduled between Feb. 27 and April 29, having recently announced six new dates. "Once Before I Go" can be streamed on YouTube. - Billboard, 1/30/26...... 
The first trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, dropped on Feb. 2 for the new movie that tracks the late King of Pop's growth from child singer to international superstar. "You're confident. You're strong. You're beautiful. You're the greatest of all time," we hear star Jaafar Jackson -- MJ's real-life nephew -- say in a confident pump-up speech to himself at the top of the two-minute preview. Director Antoine Fuqua (Stans, Bullet Train) then zooms out from the period just before Jackson's solo career went meteoric to footage of MJ at his moon-walking, stadium sell-out peak, with the singer's kin effortlessly pulling off the tricky dance moves and Jackson's signature vocal yelps. Fuqua then rewinds all the way back to the beginning, with imperious family patriarch Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo), explaining how things are, and are going to be, to his musically talented family around their Gary, In., dining room table. "Let me tell you somethin'," Joe Jackson says as MJ's 1979 "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" solo hit bubbles up and we see the singer and his brothers in the Jackson Five refining their soon-to-be-chart-topping act. "In this life, you're either a winner or a loser. Y'all want to work in a steel mill like me for the rest of your days?" The $155 million film, two years in the making and originally slated for an Oct. 2025 release, is due out in the US on Apr. 24. The trailer can be watched on YouTube. - Billboard, 2/2/26...... In other rock biopic news, Meryl Streep will play Joni Mitchell in a forthcoming biopic directed by Oscar-winner Cameron Crowe, according to an announcement made by record exec Clive Davis. Streep, a multi-time Oscar winner, has been rumoured to be in contention for the role in the film, which has been in development for some time. However, Rolling Stone has reported that Davis confirmed the casting at his pre-Grammy awards party on Jan. 31 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Further details about the film have been scarce, although there have been reports that Anya Taylor-Joy had been cast as a younger version of the singer. Crowe, who directed iconic music drama Almost Famous, shared in 2023 that the project was in motion and hoped to be released by the end of 2025, which did not come to pass. About the movie, he told Ultimate Classic Rock: "It's Joni's life, not through anybody else's prism. It's through her prism. It's the characters who impacted her life that you know and a lot that you don't know. And the music is so cinematic." As for the singer herself, Mitchell famously shut down a proposed biopic of her life starring Taylor Swift in 2014, saying she "squelched" the project and that she "didn't know her music." - NME, 2/3/26...... On Jan. 29 Beatles fans got the first look at the Fab Four's look in director Sam Mendes' upcoming four-part Beatles biopic series when The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts -- an arts school co-founded in 1996 by Paul McCartney and British entrepreneur Mark Featherstone-Witty -- rolled out postcards featuring photos of the actors playing each member of the group as part of a promotional stunt in conjunction with Sony Pictures UK. As part of a "postcard hunt" the Institute informed students on Friday (Jan. 30) that it had hidden 20 more of the cards that morning with 20 more to be tucked around by lunchtime, asking them to tag the school and movie studio if they find them. "Another huge thanks to Sony for providing these exclusive, hand-numbered postcards. It's been such an honour to bring the Beatles back home," read the caption to an Instagram post from the school featuring the images. "Paul, George and John all studied in the buildings that now make up LIPA, while Sir Paul remains our Lead Patron." In the previews, Paul Mescal is seen as a mop-topped McCartney, dressed in a classic early look in a suit and bowl haircut. Joseph Quinn's George Harrison is a late-period take, with the Stranger Things actor sporting long hair and a bushy beard, while Harris Dickinson's mid-period John Lennon sports his iconic round glasses, shaggy, shoulder-length hair and a jeans jacket. Meanwhile, Barry Keoghan's Ringo Starr sports a busy mustache, grown-out shag and a polka dot shit accented by a paisley tie. The Beatles -- A Four-Film Cinematic Event, is slated to hit theaters on Apr. 7, 2028, with each Beatle getting their own solo film that will tell the story of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band from their perspective. The first images can be viewed on Sony Pictures' X/Twitter page. - Billboard, 1/30/26...... 
The home security company Ring is aiming to reunite lost dogs with families in a new ad for the upcoming Super Bowl game on Feb. 7 soundtracked by a No. 1 '70s hit ballad, Harry Nilsson's "Without You". "I can't live, if living is without you" is a sentiment Nilsson sang about in the early '70s that many heartbroken pet owners have experienced after a beloved animal dies or goes missing, but Ring is hoping to shorten the length of that pain in the latter scenario. In the emotional commercial that dropped on YouTube on Feb. 2, Ring acknowledges the special bond between pets -- in this case, dogs -- and their families, and how its free "Search Party" feature can help bring lost furry friends home. "Pets are family, but every year, 10 million go missing, and the way we look for them hasn't changed in years -- until now," Ring founder Jamie Siminoff says in the emotional spot. "With Search Party from Ring, one post to the Ring app starts outdoor cameras in the area, looking for a match." In addition to clips of a little girl excitedly greeting her new puppy Milo, to her heartbreak as she puts up missing fliers alongside her dad, to her joy as her beloved pup returns home, the commercial is soundtracked by one of the most recognizable heartbreak ballads of the 1970s: Nilsson's aforementioned cover of Badfinger's "Without You," featuring the heartrending chorus, "Can't live if living is without you/ I can't live, I can't give anymore." Nilsson's version of "Without You" -- which has also been covered by Air Supply, Mariah Carey and others -- peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Feb. 1972, and retained the top spot for four weeks. In a blog post, Ring also said that the Search Party feature would be available to non-Ring owners through its Neighbors app to help bring lost animals home as quickly as possible. To further its goal, Ring has also announced that it's committing $1 million to equip shelters around the US with Ring cameras to not only reunite families and their missing pets, but also cut down on the time lost pets spend in shelters. - Billboard, 2/2/26...... The upcoming UK Record Store Day 2026 will include the release of an early Fleetwood Mac collection among several other special releases to benefit the RSD's charity partner War Child. Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green-era 1971 compilation The Original Fleetwood Mac will be among the series of titles that will be available to buy at participating shops on the day, with other titles including music from The Cure and Primal Scream. One of every copy sold of the records below will be donated to the charity, which works to protect, educate and support the mental health of children affected by war -- and it comes at a time of conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria and beyond. Other RSD 2026 releases announced so far include two David Bowie releases - a Hallo Spaceboy remixes EP and a half-speed LP of excerpts from 1.OUTSIDE. - NME, 2/2/26...... William "Billy Bass" Nelson, the founding bassist for the George Clinton-led funk acid rock collective Parliament-Funkadelic, died on Jan. 31 of undisclosed causes. He was 75. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nelson, born William Nelson Jr. on Jan. 28, 1951 in Plainfield, N.J., got his break in music when, as a teenager, he became friendly with Clinton, who was then working in a Jersey barber shop he co-owned, the Silk Palace. While he started out sweeping the floors and dancing for customers according to his official bio on Clinton's site, Nelson parlayed that friendship into a spot in Clinton's doo-wop group, the Parliaments, who charted a handful of singles in the late 1960s, including their breakthrough 1967, the snappy soul jam "(I Wanna) Testify," which rose to No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 20 on the Hot 100 pop chart. While his steady, thumping bass was a mainstay on Funkadelic's first three albums -- a style that would later serve as one of the foundational bedrocks of rapper/producer Dr. Dre's "G-funk" sound -- Nelson also provided backing vocals and managed to slip into the lead singer spot for at least one track on all three of Funkadelic's first releases. You can hear his vocals on the joyous 8-minute funk burner "Good Old Music" on the band's debut, as well as "Friday Night, August 14th" and the chaotic "I Wanna Know If it's Good For You?" on Free Your Mind. In 1994, Nelson rejoined P-Funk (which were then known as the P-Funk All-Stars, though Clinton was the only remaining original member) and he was among 16 of the group's members inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1997. - Billboard, 2/3/26...... 
Chuck Negron, a founding member and lead vocalist of Three Dog Night, died at his home in Studio City, Calif., on Feb. 2. He was 83. Mr. Negron died surrounded by family, according to a statement shared with Billboard. No immediate cause of death was announced, though the singer had been living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for decades and had recently battled heart failure. Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942, Mr. Negron grew up in the Bronx, where he sang in doo-wop groups before earning a basketball scholarship that brought him to Los Angeles. In 1967, he joined Danny Hutton and the late Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a vocal trio built around harmony-driven arrangements and carefully selected songs from outside writers -- a strategy that helped make the group one of the most commercially successful acts of the late 1960s and early '70s. Negron's unmistakable lead vocals powered many of the band's biggest hits, including "Joy to the World," "Mama Told Me Not To Come," "One," "Easy to Be Hard," "Old Fashioned Love Song" and "The Show Must Go On." Between 1969 and 1975, the trio scored three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the era's most dominant radio acts. As the band's success escalated rapidly, Mr. Negron struggled with addiction, a battle that contributed to internal fractures and the group's eventual breakup at the height of its popularity. His addiction led to severe personal and financial hardship, including a period of homelessness in Los Angeles. After multiple rehabilitation attempts, he became sober in 1991. He later documented his experiences in the 1999 memoir Three Dog Nightmare, an unflinching account of fame, addiction and recovery. In the years that followed, Mr. Negron released seven solo albums between 1995 and 2017 and became an outspoken advocate for addiction recovery, frequently sharing his story to support others facing similar struggles. Despite long-term health challenges, Mr. Negron continued touring for many years, developing methods to preserve his voice while managing COPD. He remained proud of his vocal ability until his final performances, stepping away from touring during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the risks posed by his condition. Mr. Negron is survived by his wife, Ami Albea Negron; his children Shaunti Negron Levick, Berry Oakley, Charles Negron III, Charlotte Negron and Annabelle Negron; nine grandchildren; and several extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents and his twin sister, Nancy Negron Dean. In 2025, Mr. Negron and fellow Three Dog Night founder Danny Hutton reunited after decades of estrangement to reconcile. - Billboard, 2/3/26...... Actor Demond Wilson, best known for portraying Lamont Sanford on the hit 1972-1977 NBC sitcom Sanford and Son, died on Jan. 29 in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 79. Wilson's son, Demond Wilson Jr., told TMZ.com his father died at home from complications with cancer, but did not disclose what type of cancer his dad had. "I loved him. He was a great man," Demond Jr. told the outlet. Born Grady Demond Wilson on Oct. 13, 1946 in Valdosta, Ga., Wilson grew up in New York City, making his Broadway debut as a child, before joining the US Army and serving in Vietnam, where he was wounded. Upon his return to the states, Wilson appeared in some Broadway and off-Broadway shows before moving to Hollywood. Following his appearance in a 1971 episode of CBS's All in the Family, Wilson won the titular role of Lamont Sanford in Sanford and Son, opposite Redd Foxx's patriarch Fred G. Sanford. The beloved sitcom, adapted by Norman Lear from the British series Steptoe and Son, ran for six seasons on NBC from 1972 to '77. The actor then went on to star as Raymond Ellis in the short-lived 1978 CBS sitcom Baby I'm Back!, playing a compulsive gambler trying to win back his family. He also played Oscar Madison in ABC's The New Odd Couple (1982-'83). His TV credits also include episodes of Mission: Impossible, The Love Boat and Girlfriends, and he appeared in films like Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), The Organization (1971), Full Moon High (1981) and Hammerlock (2000). Wilson, who was also a Christian evangelist and ordained minister, married model Cicely Johnston in 1974, and they shared six children and multiple grandchildren. - Variety, 1/31/26...... 
Prolific actress Catherine O'Hara, known for her roles in Home Alone, Schitt's Creek and Best in Show, died on Jan. 30 following a brief illness. She was 71. Over a career that spanned more than 50 years, O'Hara left an indelible impression on audiences with her searing wit, subtle eccentricity and fearless pursuit of a good laugh. Born on Mar. 4, 1954, in Toronto, O'Hara's career in Hollywood began with the Canadian sketch comedy series Second City Television. That show earned the beloved actress her first PrimeTime Emmy Award, an accolade that she'd again win in 2020 for her performance in Schitt's Creek. O'Hara's first credited Hollywood movie is 1980's Nothing Personal, she then went on to star in 1980's Double Negative and 1983's Rock & Rule before playing the memorable role of Gail in Martin Scorsese's After Hours, which was released in 1985. Her stardom continued to rise after playing Delia Deetz in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice, released in 1988. Just two years later, she starred as Kevin McCallister's mom, Kate McCallister, in Home Alone. She reprised this role again in the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Following that, O'Hara voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas and appeared in movies such as 1994's Wyatt Earp, 1996's Waiting for Huffman, 1997's Pippi Longstocking, 2000's Best in Show, and 2004's Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, among many other titles. Her career had a major renaissance in her 60s when she starred as Moira Rose in the popular Schitt's Creek sitcom alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. She recently played Patty Leigh in the first season of Seth Rogen's Hollywood sendup The Studio, and Gail Lynden in Season 2 of HBO's zombie apocalypse drama The Last of Us, both of which earned her 2025 Emmy nominations. Additionally, O'Hara reprised her Delia Deetz character in the Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and voiced a character in the award-winning The Wild Robot movie released in 2024. "Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more," her Home Alone costar Macaulay Culkin poignantly posted after her death. "I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say." - ComingSoon.net, 1/31/26.
Paul McCartney's forthcoming Wings documentary Man On The Run is set to be screened in cinemas worldwide for one night only on Feb. 17, ahead of its official release on Feb. 27 on Prime Video via Amazon MGM Studios. In addition to the film, each theatrical screening will include a bonus conversation between McCartney and director Morgan Neville. Tickets can be purchased at www.manontherun.film. According to a press release, the documentary captures Sir Paul's "transformative decade in the wake of The Beatles' break-up and the rise of his new band Wings. "Through stunning archival footage, Linda McCartney's exceptional photographs, interviews with Paul, Linda, Mary and Stella McCartney, a number of Wings band members, Sean Ono Lennon, Mick Jagger, Chrissie Hynde, and more, the film examines this time through a uniquely vulnerable lens." Earlier in January, an official trailer for the film was shared which showed McCartney detailing his feelings following his split from The Beatles in 1970, remarking: "I fell very depressed, but I was very lucky, because I had Linda." The trailer also shows the journey of Wings from their rocky start with debut album Wild Life to their acclaimed third album, Band On The Run. Intimate behind-the-scenes footage of Wings touring, along with other rare, unreleased footage and music, will be featured in the documentary. - NME, 1/28/26...... 
As Minneapolis and other locations in America are struggling with the controversial arrest and deportation tactics of the US immigration agency ICE under Pres. Donald Trump's administration, Neil Young has declared he is done with the "fascist Trump regime" -- and all the companies he claims are financially backing it. On Jan. 29, the Canadian-American singer-songwriter took to his Neil Young Archives site to post a fiery essay in which he lambasted several companies for their financial support of the president and his administration, namely Verizon, T-Mobile and Apple. "One idea I have to keep [my flip phone] is just to change services and drop Verizon service like a cold fish. It's the money I give Verizon for my service that's doing the damage! Not my old phone I bought years ago," he began his post, lamenting at his phone company's Trump ties. "What can I do? I'm checking with our office to see if I can get a T-Mobile flip phone. T-Mobile is not a supporter of the Trump fascist regime. But wait. T-Mobile donated to Trump's ballroom, which has gone from $200 million to $400 million, suddenly. Where is that money going? There is no accounting. So T-Mobile is apparently out." Young's most recent post follows comments he made earlier in January when he penned a letter reiterating his distaste for ICE and Trump, and in Oct. 2025 he announced he would be pulling his music from Amazon, citing Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos' Trump ties. Meanwhile, on Jan. 27 Young updated his site with a post announcing that he will be gifting his entire music catalog to the people of Greenland for free. Pres. Trump said at a White House meeting earlier in January that he "may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland", which is a self-governing territory controlled by Denmark. "I'm honoured to give a free year's access to neilyoungarchives.com to all of our friends in Greenland," Young began. "I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government. It is my sincere wish for you to be able to enjoy all of my music in your beautiful Greenland home, in its highest quality. This is an offer of Peace and Love." Greenland citizens can sign up to a free subscription for Young's music archive at neilyoungarchives.com/Greenland. - Billboard, 1/29/26...... In related news, Bruce Springsteen has dropped a searing anti-ICE protest song called "Streets of Minneapolis," a callback to the Boss's Oscar and Grammy-winning 1994 soundtrack anthem "Streets of Philadelphia" from director Jonathan Demme's 1993 AIDS drama Philadelphia. In the tradition of one of his icons, folk legend Woody Guthrie, the song's lyrics plainly and powerfully tell the story of the pitched battles being fought on the streets of the city as citizens stand up and push back on the sometimes violent immigration raids being carried out by the Trump administration. Specifically, he pays tribute to the violent actions by border and ICE agents that so far this month have resulted in the killings of two American citizens: 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good and 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti. Springsteen dedicated the song to the people of Minneapolis, as well as "our innocent immigrant neighbors," and to the memories of Good and Pretti. "Against smoke and rubber bullets/ By the dawn's early light/ Citizens stood for justice/ Their voices ringing through the night," he sings over chiming guitars and a steady drum beat. "And there were bloody footprints/ Where mercy should have stood/ And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets/ Alex Pretti and Renee Good." The song is also a callback to one of the Boss' most intense protest anthems, 2001's "American Skin (41 Shots)," his passionate response to the 1999 NYPD killing of unarmed Amadou Diallo. The song ends with Springsteen lamenting the trampling of rights by officers eager to question or deport anyone with Black or brown skin, while amplifying the frequently shouted cries of "ICE out now" heard at protests around the nation over the past few months. "Streets of Minneapolis" can be streamed on YouTube, along with a powerful lyric video released by the musician the following day featuring footage of the ongoing protests against the agency's immigration enforcement operations in the city. Meanwhile, the movie Philadelpia is among the annual roster of 25 recent additions to the National Film Registry. Also making the list was the 1983 box-office hit The Big Chill, which had a soundtrack brimming with Motown classics, and the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew, about the West Coast studio musicians who played on countless hit records in the 1960s. The Library of Congress announced its latest additions to the National Film Registry on Jan. 29. The films were selected because of their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance. The latest 25 selections bring the number of titles in the registry to 925. - Billboard, 1/28/26...... 
Deceased Seventies artists Ozzy Osbourne and Roberta Flack are among the musicians set to be honored at the 2026 Grammy Awards. In honor of late heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne, Post Malone will join forces with Guns N' Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith for a performance. They will also be joined on stage by renowned producer Andrew WattThey will also be joined on stage by renowned producer Andrew Watt, who worked with the Prince Of Darkness on his last two solo albums: 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9. Osbourne died in his family home in Buckinghamshire following a heart attack last July, aged 76. Lauryn Hill will take to the stage to honor R&B/jazz star Flack, who died in Feb. 2025 after battling ALS for the past few years. The Recording Academy announced that there will be special tribute performances held for the late artists, which also include neo-soul icon D'Angelo, during the ceremony. Lifetime Achievement awards will be presented to Carlos Santana and Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin will also be honored with the Trustees Award. The 68th annual Grammys are set for Feb. 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET and run until 11:30 p.m. ET. Those without cable subscriptions can watch through services like YouTubeTV and FuboTV. - New Musical Express, 1/29/26...... In other Ozzy Osbourne-related news, Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne revealed in a recent interview that she is considering bringing OzzFest back, and it could return as soon as 2027. Speaking to Billboard, Sharon said that she had been "talking to [concert promoter] Live Nation" about having the live music event return. "It was something Ozzy was very passionate about: giving young talent a stage in front of a lot of people," she said. "We really started metal festivals in this country. It was [replicated but] never done with the spirit of what ours was, because ours was a place for new talent. It was like summer camp for kids," she added. Sharon went on to say that while nothing had been set in stone yet, the festival could be launching as soon as 2027. However, the event would now be centering on multiple different music genres, rather than just rock and metal. Ozzy and Sharon began the hard rock and metal festival 30 years ago, with its inaugural edition taking place in Oct. 1996 and spanning two days. The following year it expanded into a full-blown tour rather than a one-time event, and then continued annually almost every year up until 2018 (although it reverted to a single-day event from 2008). - NME, 1/29/26...... 
Leo Sayer has announced plans for what will be his final full UK tour, confirming a major 23-date run for autumn 2026. The "When I Need You" singer, who turns 78 this year, says he's not retiring from live work altogether but is ready to scale back the heavy touring schedule that has defined his five-decade career. "I love performing for my fans and look forward to doing so for many more years, but this will be the last time I play so many dates across the country," Sayer said in a statment, adding that while he still feels "fit as ever," he doesn't expect to take on another nationwide run of the UK of this magnitude as he approaches 80. The ambitious itinerary, which kicks off on Oct. 7 in Bexhill-on-Sea, will see Sayer return to theatres and concert halls across England, Scotland and Wales, including stops at Birmingham Town Hall (Oct. 11) and the London Palladium (Oct. 27) before wrapping at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall on Nov. 6. Sayer, known for such hits as "Thunder In My Heart," "Moonlighting," "One Man Band," "More Than I Can Say," "Have You Ever Been in Love," "The Show Must Go On", and the transatlantic No.1's "When I Need You" and "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," is promising a high-energy, hit-packed show for what will be his last major UK tour. - Music-News.com, 1/28/26...... Ronnie Wood has been confirmed to be among the supporting acts at Eric Clapton's upcoming Sandringham UK this summer. The Rolling Stones guitarist and former Faces and Jeff Beck Group member will be playing a rare solo show at the huge outdoor event, and also joining Clapton on the bill is Andy Fairweather Low, who rose to prominence as the lead singer in Amen Corner in the '60s -- a group best known for hit songs including "Bend Me Shape Me," "Hello Suzy," and "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice." The upcoming gig follows on the heels of Slowhand heading out on a headline tour of the US in 2025 behind his latest album Meanwhile. His 22nd studio album, the set featured appearances from the late Jeff Beck along with Van Morrison, Bradley Walker, Judith Hill, Daniel Santiago and Simon Climie. - NME, 1/29/26...... 
Legendary Jamaican musician Lowell "Sly" Dunbar, one-half of the prolific reggae songwriting/producing duo Sly & Robbie, reportedly died at his home in Kingston, Jamaica on Jan. 26. He was 73. Working with longtime partner bassist Robbie Shakespeare (who died in 2021), Dunbar was one half of the dynamic duo that provided the thrumming backbeat to reggae classics from the likes of Black Uhuru, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs and countless others. Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar on May 10, 1952 in Kingston, Jamaica, Dunbar got his start playing in a group called the Yardbrooms at age 15, before moving on to the group Skin Flesh and Bones and his first recording session with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters' on the 1969 single "Night Doctor." That same year he also played on Dave and Ansel Collins' Double Barrel album, with the title track hitting the top of the U.K. singles chart. His life and career would change forever when he met Shakespeare in 1972, with the pair who shared similar musical sensibilities ranging from homegrown Jamaican riddims to Motown and soul music developing a close relationship with Tosh, with whom they recorded five albums. Sly and Robbie appeared on late great Tosh's beloved 1977 LP Equal Rights, as well as 1978's Bush Doctor and 1983's Mama Africa, which became Tosh's highest-charting album in the U.S. when it hit No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The hard-working pair -- who are believed to have appeared on more than 200,000 tracks, including remixes and songs that sampled their work -- also had a long and fruitful working relationship with rock icon Dennis Brown, performing on more than a dozen albums by the "Money In My Pocket" singer and serving time in the Revolutionaries, the house band at Jamaica's legendary Channel One studio. Known as the Riddim Twins, the duo developed a number of signature grooves over their four-plus decade career, including the "rockers" rhythm, which helped them inject some energy into the popular 1970s and 80s "one drop" reggae rhythm. Working with Shakespeare, Dunbar carved a wide path through music, performing on a trio of Bob Dylan albums in the 1980s, as well as playing on albums by Joan Armatrading, Jackson Browne, The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Grace Jones, Yoko Ono, Sinead O'Connor and Carly Simon, among many others. "As one half of Sly & Robbie, Sly helped shape the sound of reggae and Jamaican music for generations," read a statement from his family posted on TMZ.com. "His extraordinary talent, innovation, and lasting contributions will never be forgotten. Sly's music, spirit, and legacy touched people around the world, and we are deeply grateful for the love and support during this difficult time." - Billboard, 1/26/26.
Posting on 
Appearing on the BBC's Eras program on Jan. 26, Phil Collins gave fans another health update as he continues to face a number of challenges, explaining that his issues are "an ongoing thing." Collins, who turns 75 on Jan. 30, spoke candidly about the level of treatment he requires on a daily basis to keep him going after a 2007 spinal injury left him with myriad health challenges. "I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication, as I should do," he said. "I've had challenges with my knee," he continued. "Everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me I can walk, albeit with assistance -- crutches or whatever." The "In the Air Tonight" singer's update comes about six months after a rep confirmed that the musician was in the hospital for an operation on his knee, shutting down rumors at the time that the Genesis icon was in hospice. Collins has been battling medical challenges for nearly two decades now as a result of his spinal injury, which caused nerve damage and drop-foot. Since 2015, he's used a cane to walk and has had difficulty standing for long periods, much less getting behind the drumset. "It's still kind of sinking in," he said in the Dec. 2024 documentary Drummer First. "I've spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock." But in his latest interview with BBC, Collins gave fans a flicker of hope. Noting that his recent knee surgeries and sobriety have him feeling "totally mobile and healthy," Collins said he's hoping to "have a fiddle about" in the studio soon to "see if there's more music." He added, "You've gotta start doing it to see if you can do it." - Billboard, 1/23/26...... After the surprise release of his 13th solo album BRITPOP on Jan. 16, British pop star Robbie Williams has topped The Beatles' all-time record for the most UK Number One albums. In Jan. 23, the UK Albums Chart confirmed that the 26-year-old pop sensation's latest album was his 16th chart-topper of his solo career, which puts him ahead of the Fab Four, who scored 15 UK Number One albums. "This is unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable," Williams told BBC News. "I've always said my success has been the equivalent of stretching an elastic band from Stoke-on-Trent to the moon. Well, I reckon the elastic band just got longer, and now it's orbiting Venus." He added: "It's just sensational what has happened. I feel like the Forrest Gump of pop." Following Williams and The Beatles in the all-time list are The Rolling Stones (14), Taylor Swift (14), Elvis Presley (13), Madonna (12) and Bruce Springsteen (12). BRITPOP had been postponed from its original release date of Oct. 2025 to this February, however it was decided to release the album a few weeks earlier. Williams has sold a reported 80 million albums throughout his career to date, while The Beatles remain the best-selling act of all time with sales over an estimated 600 million. - NME, 1/23/26...... In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr's drummer son Zak Starkey has revealed that the notoriously quarrelsome Noel and Liam Gallagher brothers of alternative faves Oasis "never even argued once" while he sat behind the kit with the ban. Starkey, who was The Who's long term drummer until 2025, performed with Oasis from 2004-2008. During Starkey's tenure with the band Liam stormed offstage mid-way through "Champagne Supernova"' during the Heineken Jammin' Festival in Italy, in June 2005. Liam and Noel were also seen having having cross words in the band's 2007 documentary Lord Don't Slow Me Down during the "Don't Believe The Truth" world tour. Despite that, Starkey said they never argued in his company. "I played with them for five years, and all we did was laugh. They never even argued once. Not one time," he told the New York Post. "We toured for 140 shows. We made two great records. We rehearsed. We hung out all the time. Never one. Never one cross word in five years," he added, noting the brothers "never complained about anything, ever." Starkey had left the band before the bust up that led to their split in Paris in 2009, with Chris Sharrock taking up drumming duties. - NME, 1/21/26...... 
The Eagles continue to soar high into the 21st century as their 1976 hits collection 
The Beach Boys' long-shelved "Adult/Child" sessions are finally being released within the new boxset We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years. The release focuses on the late Brian Wilson's return to group recording in the mid-to-late '70s, with a newly remastered edition of their 1977 LP The Beach Boys Love You, along with material from the 15 Big Ones sessions, Love You, and the Wilson-produced Adult/Child recordings that never received a full release. Posting on Instagram, the band said: "Introducing 'We Gotta Groove,' our latest box set. The collection is based around Brian Wilson's return to the group projects, and includes a newly remastered version of 'The Beach Boys Love You,' as well as key tracks from the '15 Big Ones' sessions, 'Love You,' and the unreleased Brian Wilson-produced 'Adult/Child' sessions. The package also spotlights studio outtakes, demos, and alternate mixes. Our newsletter subscribers sold out the pre-order with their VIP entry on our official store, so don't miss out on this limited re-stock!" To preview the project, The Beach Boys have shared a previously unheard outtake from The Beach Boys Love You titled "We Gotta Groove (2025 Mix)" on 
Sixty-seven years after they first made the U.S. hit parade with the classic "Shout - Part 1," The Isley Brothers will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ronald Isley (age 84) and Ernie Isley (age 73) will accept the honor Jan. 28 at 11:30 a.m. PT at 7051 Hollywood Blvd. Jon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing, and Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Terry Lewis are set to speak at the ceremony. Melvin Robert, entertainment anchor at L.A. station KTLA, is set to emcee. The event will be streamed live exclusively at WalkOfFame.com. The Isley Brothers' biggest hits include "It's Your Thing," "That Lady (Part 1)" and "Fight the Power Part 1," all of which made the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. They have also landed two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 -- 
Roger Waters is standing by insensitive comments he made about Ozzy Osbourne shortly after the heavy metal legend's death in July 2025. "He was all over the TV for hundreds of years with his idiocy and nonsense," Waters said at the time during an interview with The Independent Ink podcast. "I don't care about Black Sabbath, I never did, I have no interest in biting the heads off chickens or whatever they do. I couldn't care less." The comments drew sharp criticism from Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne, who took to social media to call out the Pink Floyd co-founder for being "pathetic and out of touch," adding: "My father always thought you were a c-nt -- thanks for proving him right," as well as Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne, who said "He has no charisma, he looks like Frankenstein... The guy is sick in the head, he is not relevant in today's world... Nobody likes him" during an episode of The Osbournes podcast. Now, in a new interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Waters was asked about his remarks and whether he regretted saying them so soon after Osbourne's death. "Those comments, I'm not denying that I said them, came in the middle of a long interview," Waters admitted before defending them. "Do I have to like every rock group that ever was or people who bite the heads off bats?" Asked whether he would apologize to Sharon, Waters said that he would not. "I obviously had no idea that Sharon Osbourne would be watching a podcast," Waters replied. "Not that I have any time for Sharon Osbourne, she's a raging Zionist... and she's accused me of all kinds of things... because she's part of the Israeli lobby." As for the rest of the family, Waters said, "Listen, Jack... if he wants to have a chat, I'll have a chat with him. And I won't be nasty to him." Morgan's full interview with Waters can be streamed on 
Alice Cooper was the first interviewee on the critically acclaimed Rock & Roll High School podcast which launched its fifth season on Jan. 17. To open the season, host Pete Ganbarg sat down with the legendary shock-rocker for a wide-ranging interview that included such striking revelations as the creation of Cooper's quintessential teenage rebel track, 
Keith Richards has teamed up with Gibson Guitars to launch a Custom 1960 ES-355 electric guitar. The new collaboration between the Rolling Stones legend and the iconic guitar manufacturer features two models: the Keith Richards 1960 ES-355 Collector's Edition, Signed Guitar and Label -- of which only 50 are available at $29,999 -- and the Keith Richards 1960 ES-355, Signed Label -- which is released in a limited run of 100, priced at $19,999. Richards has a long history with the model, having first used one in 1969 during the recording sessions for Sticky Fingers and later in 1972 for Exile on Main St. He's also played his black 1960 model on every Rolling Stones tour since 1997. The new recreations are exact replicas of Richards' own instrument, created using "advanced 3D scanning, period-correct materials and construction techniques" and "hand ageing" to mirror the original, per a press release. "This is my standard-tuning six-string; this is the other side of my thing," Richards shared in an interview about the collaboration. "My six-string stuff has always been, you know, a great Gibson - that's where I feel the most comfortable. And also with the sound. Put it through just about any amp, and it will sound the way you want it, because this has so much more room for expression." Fans can view the new models at the Gibson Garage locations in Nashville and London, and view them all online at Gibson.com. A video featuring Richards introducing the new 1960 ES-355 models can be viewed on 
As Dolly Parton turned 80 years old on Jan. 19, the country music queen and 2022 
Fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known for his high-glamour gowns -- often in his trademark shade of "Valentino red" -- died at home in Rome on Jan. 19, his foundation announced. He was 93. "Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision," the foundation said in a statement posted on social media. Universally known by his first name, Mr. Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. "I know what women want," he once remarked. "They want to be beautiful." Mr. Valentino was never one for edginess or statement dressing, and made precious few fashion faux-pas throughout his nearly half-century-long career, which stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. His fail-safe designs made him the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers' awards ceremony needs. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Juia Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue. Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino -- a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk -- when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2004. Mr. Valentino was also behind the long-sleeved lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Kennedy and Mr. Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time U.S. first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino. He was also close to the late Princess Diana, who often donned his sumptuous gowns. Mr. Valentino, who retired in 2008, has been the subject of several retrospectives, including one at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, which is housed in a wing of Paris' Louvre Museum. He was also the subject of a hit 2008 documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor, that chronicled the end of his career in fashion. His body will repose at the foundation's headquarters in Rome on Jan. 21 and 22. The funeral will be held on Jan. 23 at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome's Piazza della Repubblica. - Billboard, 1/19/26.
The so-called "secret daughter" of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has died at the age of 48. Identified only as "B," the woman's existence first came to light in May 2025 in the Mercury biography Love, Freddie written by Lesley-Ann Jones. Jones claimed Freddie kept a close relationship with "B" until his death in 1991, and that he would visit her regularly and give her 17 volumes of detailed personal journals. On Jan. 15, "B''s husband Thomas told the UK outlet Daily Mail that his wife died "peacefully after a long battle with chordoma, a rare spinal cancer" and has left behind "two sons aged nine and seven." Thomas also said that "B" was "now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts," and had her ashes scattered over the Alps. Lesley-Ann Jones also shared a statement following news of "B"'s death, telling The Indendent: "I am devastated by the loss of this woman who became my close friend, who had come to me with a selfless aim: to brush aside all those who have had free rein with Freddie's story for 32 years, to challenge their lies and their rewriting of his life, and to deliver the truth." Jones also alleges that the Queen songs "Don't Try So Hard" and "Bijou" were written about "B." When Love, Freddie was first released, it was believed that only Mercury's inner circle were aware of "B"'s existence. Mercury died in 1991, aged 45, of bronchial pneumonia caused by Aids. - New Musical Express, 1/15/26...... The Michael Jackson accuser Frank Cascio and his parents and siblings are protesting an effort by the Jackson estate to keep their claims behind closed doors. The family, who Jackson groomed, manipulated and molested them for decades -- from the late 1980s until his death in 2009 -- appeared in a Beverly Hills courtroom on Jan. 14 seeking to void a "purported settlement" with the estate that they describe as "an unlawful agreement to silence victims of childhood sexual abuse." Marty Singer, a lawyer for the estate, told the court that the Cascio family members signed an initial deal with the estate in Jan. 2020, then later re-negotiated it for "significantly more money upfront," and now are seeking to file a public lawsuit that would violate the arbitration and confidentiality clauses of the original pact. "We categorically dispute these claims," Singer told the court, referring to the claims Jackson subjected all five Cascio children to sexual abuse. "The reason this case is going forward is because there was an extortion demand of $213 million last summer." Mark Geragos, lawyer for the Cascios, told the court the family had felt coerced into signing the agreements. The rushed process was intended to, and did, in fact, take advantage of the Cascio siblings' shock and trauma upon realizing this had happened to all of them, unbeknownst to each other and contrary to what they had been told," Geragos wrote in a filing in Oct. 2025. Ironically, Geragos previously represented Jackson when the pop star was under criminal investigation for child molestation in 2003. The "Thriller" singer was charged and later acquitted at a trial in 2005. After hearing the Cascios' arguments, the judge declined to issue an immediate ruling on the estate's petition to force the family into confidential arbitration. - Music-News.com, 1/15/26...... 
Ten years after his passing, David Bowie is being remembered for a #163;10,116 donation toward a local hall car park in the quiet Warwickshire, UK village of Binley Woods. According to a report by the BBC, the unlikely connection began in 2014 when Norman Miller, then a member of the village hall committee, decided to write to Bowie with a bold request. Hoping to raise funds for a much-needed car park, Miller invited the "Thin White Duke" to perform a benefit concert at the humble village hall. While Bowie's son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, initially replied that his father was not taking on new work due to his health, Miller was undeterred. Over the next two years, he sent a steady stream of letters filled with family anecdotes, local football updates about the Coventry City "Sky Blues," and jokes. On Jan. 10, 2016 -- the day Bowie passed away -- Miller received an unexpected follow-up from Duncan. The family revealed that Miller's persistent correspondence had not been in vain; the letters and jokes had genuinely brightened David's final days. In a gesture of "marketing genius" and profound gratitude, the estate offered the village exactly £10,116 -- a figure reflecting the date of his death (10/1/16). "I went to the bank and showed them the letter," Miller told the BBC, admitting he originally feared it was a scam. "They said they'd opened an account with nothing in it, and then the money was transferred the day he died." Paul Salisbury chair of the parish council, confirmed the funds covered the crucial deposit for the construction. A decade later, the site remains affectionately known by locals as "the car park David Bowie paid for." Without that final gift, Salisbury notes, the project likely would have remained an unfinished jigsaw. It stands as a quirky, heartfelt testament to the power of a well-timed joke and the quiet generosity of the iconic "Thin White Duke." - Music-News.com, 1/12/26...... On Jan. 14 London's High Court began hearing a lawsuit brought against Sting by his former The Police bandmates claiming some $2 million in unpaid streaming royalties. Guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland are taking legal action against Sting (real name Gordon Sumner), arguing they are entitled to the added royalties. None of the band members was in court at the start of a two-day preliminary hearing. Sting is contesting the pair's claim that they are entitled to "in excess of two million US dollars" in so-called performance royalties of songs recorded as The Police, according to the court documents. None of the band members was in court at the start of a two-day preliminary hearing. The plaintiffs are relying on a nearly 50-year-old verbal agreement stipulating that each member of the group should receive 15% of the royalties generated by the other members' compositions. As the trio's composer of all the band's hits, from "Roxanne" to "King of Pain," Sting receives by far the largest share of the group's royalties. The original agreement acknowledged the, at times, crucial contributions of the other two members, such as Summers' guitar arpeggios on The Police's biggest hit, "Every Breath You Take." The verbal agreement reached in 1977 was later formalized through a written agreement in 1981. A further agreement reiterated, albeit vaguely, the terms in 1997, before the existence of streaming. The dispute concerns the classification of revenue generated from services such as Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music for the purpose of royalty distribution. But only mechanical royalties are included in the 2016 agreement, something Summers and Copeland consider contrary to the spirit of the original 1977 agreement. The pair are demanding their share of all streaming revenue. Representatives for Sting, who sold his catalogue to Universal in 2022 for a reported $250 million, have called the legal action an "illegitimate" attempt to reinterpret the agreement. - AFP, 1/14/26...... 
After the Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney released two successful solo albums, but then formed Wings as an attempt to get back into a band setting. Following a slightly rocky start, Wings went on to become a phenomenally successful unit during its 10-year run with such his as "Band on the Run," "My Love," "Jet" and "Live and Let Die," and scoring five No. 1 albums in the US before disbanding in 1981. Now a new Wings documentary from Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville, Man on the Run, has been released that chronicles Macca's journey in forming Wings with his wife Linda McCartney and features previously unseen and rare archival footage. In the 
ABBA's latest crowning achievement is scoring its first No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart with its 1992 greatest hits release, Gold: Greatest Hits, nearly 50 years after the group first topped a Billboard chart. Gold: Greatest Hits, which includes many of the quartet's most enduring hits -- among them "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia" and "Take a Chance on Me" -- is ABBA's first career No. 1 on the Dance Chart ranking. The collection leads the current chart with 15,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the Jan. 2-8 tracking week, according to Luminate. Beyond the dance charts, Gold: Greatest Hits has also been a mainstay on the all-format Billboard 200. The set has spent 411 weeks on the chart and counting -- it sits at No. 80 on the chart currently -- making it by far the longest-charting album of ABBA's catalog. The group's next longest-charted release, the earlier Greatest Hits, spent 61 weeks on the chart in 1976-79. Meanwhile in other chart action, Fleetwood Mac's 1975 track "Landslide" has debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 pop songs chart, debuting at No. 41 on the Jan. 17-dated chart. "Landslide," from Fleetwood Mac's 
NBC has announced it plans to revisit one of its iconic 1970s series with a reported new reboot now in development. The network has ordered a pilot for a new 
The "long, strange trip" of Bob Weir came to an end on Jan. 10 after the Grateful Dead guitarist/singer/songwriter died of an underlying lung condition after battling cancer. He was 78. "It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues," his family announded via his Instagram account. The statement went on, "For over 60 years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music." Diagnosed with cancer in July 2025, Weir began treatment weeks before returning to the stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Calif. "Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts," his family shared. "Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design. There is no final curtain here, not really. Only the sense of someone setting off again. And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn't an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin'." Weir's Dead & Company bandmate John Mayer, who formed the band with Weir in 2015, also paid tribute following his death, posting a black-and-white photo of the musician on Instagram on Jan. 11 and writing a short but poignant tribute. "Okay Bob. I'll do it your way. Fkn' A... Thanks for letting me ride alongside you. It sure was a pleasure (sic)," he wrote. "If you say it's not the end, then I'll believe you. I'll meet you in the music. Come find me anytime," he added. The original line-up of Dead & Company featured former Grateful Dead members Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, as well as Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. The band, which primarily performed Grateful Dead covers, went on several tours and even embarked on a Las Vegas residency. They last performed in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to celebrate the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary in Aug. 2025, marking Weir's final live shows. Hart, longtime drummer for Grateful Dead and Dead & Company, also paid tribute to Weir, describing him as "a little brother to me for almost sixty years." "He was my first friend in the Grateful Dead. We lived together, played together, and made music together that ended up changing the world," he said in a Facebook post. "What was a lifetime of adventure boils down to something simple -- we were family and true to the music through it all... Still cannot believe he's gone. I miss you so much already, dear friend." Hart and Kreutzmann are now the last surviving original members of the Grateful Dead. Weir was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 1994, and was a Kennedy Centre Honoree in 2024. He is survived by his wife, Natascha, and their two daughters. - Music-News.com, 1/11/26.