Parker McCollum performs on ABC’s ‘CMA Fest presented by SoFi’ (Disney/Larry McCormack)
“What Kinda Man” would announce on Christmas that he’s going to be come a dad for the second time? Parker McCollum, that’s who.
Parker and his wife, Hallie Ray Light, announced the news with an Instagram post of them posing in front of their Christmas tree with their son, Major Yancey Tyler McCollum.
“McCollum party of 4 next Christmas!!!! another BOY joining us summer 2026!!! Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you, Jesus! HBD!!” read the caption.
Parker and Hallie Ray welcomed Major in August 2024.
Hopefully, Parker will be home to welcome the new arrival, as his 2026 is packed with tour dates from January through March and again from June to September.
2025 was a big one for Kenny Chesney. In the past year he became the first country artist to play Sphere Las Vegas; became one of the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame; and a became a bestselling author.
In May, Kenny kicked off his 15-night residency at the much-hyped Sin City venue, becoming not only the first Nashville artist but the first solo artist to play the one-of-a-kind stage. During the residency, he surprised fans with special appearances by friends and collaborators Kelsea Ballerini, Grace Potter, Megan Moroney, Uncle Kracker and Mac McAnally.
Kelsea and Megan would both be back to surprise Kenny at his October induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, performing his hits in his honor at the prestigious Medallion Ceremony in the Hall’s CMA Theater. Kelsea traveled “Somewhere with You,” while Megan accompanied herself on guitar on “Knowing You.”
Eric Church stepped in at the last minute to sub for another big name who’d fallen ill, improvising a six-song medley of “I Go Back,” “Anything But Mine,” “El Cerrito Place,” “Never Wanted Nothing More,” “The Boys of Fall” and “Old Blue Chair.”
Record executive Joe Galante officially inducted Kenny into the hall, remarking on how rare it is for an artist to have both parents present for the prestigious honor.
In just a matter of weeks, Kenny’s Heart Life Music would top two New York Times rankings after its November release, landing at #1 on both the Hardcover Nonfiction Best Sellers and Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Best Sellers lists.
After wrapping his Sphere residency, the superstar wasted little time announcing he’d be returning. He’ll be back starting June 19, 2026, for a five-show run set to conclude June 27, 2026.
Billy Joel’s 2025 didn’t start out so hot. In January, the Piano Man postponed a show in order to have a medical procedure. He did perform two shows in February and continued to announce more concerts for 2025, including co-headlining dates with Sting, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks. But issues with his health halted his touring plans.
-Joel announced in March he was postponing shows for four months to allow himself time to recover from recent surgery and to undergo physical therapy under the supervision of his doctors.
-Then in May, Joel canceled all scheduled concert dates after revealing he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a disorder in which fluid builds up in the brain. According to a statement, Joel’s brain condition, “exacerbated by recent concert performances,” led to issues with his hearing, vision and balance.
-In an interview on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast in July, Joel gave fans a health update, saying his condition was “not fixed” and “still being worked on,” but assured fans, “I feel fine.”
-And it wasn’t all bad news for Billy in 2025. In May, a new two-part documentary on the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, debuted at the Tribeca Festival.
-The documentary, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, debuted on HBO Max in July to critical acclaim and earned a nomination for best music documentary at the 10th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards.
-Joel released a digital 100-track album, also called Billy Joel: And So It Goes, describing it as a “companion” piece to the documentary. It included eight never-before-heard songs. He also launched a yearlong YouTube series, dropping archival performances on the video-sharing platform.
In other Billy Joel news …
-Joel’s signature tune, “Piano Man,” hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. It was his second song to reach such a milestone, following “Uptown Girl.”
-20th Century Cycles, the motorcycle shop Joel opened in 2010 that housed his collection of more than 75 vintage motorcycles, closed. Joel auctioned off the bike collection.
-Joel was announced as the subject of New York City entrepreneur Michael Dorf’s annual Music Of charity concert series, with the tribute set for March 12, 2026, at Carnegie Hall.
While not every young star who appeared on the Disney Channel was able to parlay their initial success into a major career, some of the biggest former Disney stars were out there positively thriving in 2025.
Alex Russo (Selena Gomez)
–In February, Selena Gomez and the cast of her Hulu series Only Murders in the Building won the Screen Actors Guild trophy for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. The show was renewed for a sixth season in 2025.
–In March, she and her fiancé, Benny Blanco,released a joint album, I Said I Love You First, which debuted at #2.
–The two got married on Sept. 27, in front of guests including Taylor Swift. Benny wrote on Instagram, “I married a real-life Disney princess.”
–Selena also returned to her Disney roots in September, reprising her role as Alex Russo in the second season of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.
–In November, she and Benny received a Grammy nomination for best dance pop recording for “Bluest Flame,” a song from I Said I Love You First.
–In December, Selena was nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance by a female actor in a television series — musical or comedy for Only Murders.
Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus)
—Miley Cyrus also missed out on a Golden Globe in January for the song she wrote for the movie The Last Showgirl, but in February she shared the best country duo/group performance Grammy with her friend Beyoncé for their Cowboy Carter duet, “II Most Wanted.”
–In March, Miley announced her “visual album” project, Something Beautiful, and a short film of the same name, which she co-wrote and co-directed. The album was released in May, followed by the film’s premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June. The album received a Grammy nod.
–In November, Miley released “Dream As One,” a song she co-wrote for James Cameron‘s film Avatar: Fire and Ash. In December, the song earned Miley a Golden Globe nod for best original song.
–Also in December, she confirmed to ABC’s Chris Connelly that she and her longtime boyfriend, Maxx Morando, were engaged. She also told reporters that she’s planning to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana in 2026.
Connect Three (Jonas Brothers)
—Jonas Brothers were everywhere in 2025. They hosted their very own fan convention, JONASCON, in March, during which they announced that Joe Jonas‘ solo album Music for People Who Believe in Love would be out May 23, followed by a live album on June 13 and the group’s new album, Greetings From Your Hometown, on Aug. 8.
–Their JONAS20 tour launched Aug. 10. The brothers brought out a slew of guest stars to join them onstage, including Demi Lovato, Fifth Harmony, Jordin Sparks, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz and Alex Warren.
–In November, they released the holiday film A Very Jonas Christmas Movie and announced they’d be returning for a third installment of the Camp Rock franchise. Also in November, Kevin Jonas released his first-ever solo single.
–In December, Nick Jonas announced his new solo album, Sunday Best, coming in February 2026.
–In 2025, JoBros were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, and got their hand and footprints immortalized in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Sonny Munroe/Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato)
–In May 2025, Demi Lovato married her longtime boyfriend, Jordan “Jutes” Lutes.
–In August, she joined the Jonas Brothers onstage in New Jersey to perform favorites from Camp Rock. She later announced she’d be executive producing a third Camp Rock movie.
–In October, she released the dance pop album It’s Not That Deep and announced a tour for 2026.
Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff)
—Hilary Duff announced her return to music in 2025, releasing a new single, “Mature,” and announcing her first album in more than 10 years, Luck … or something, would arrive Feb. 20, 2026.
–She also announced her Small Rooms, Big Nerves tour, starting Jan. 18, 2026, in London, as well as a limited Las Vegas engagement at Voltaire in February 2026.
Depending on who you ask, the face of rock and metal in 2025 may not actually play rock and metal music, and didn’t even really have a face.
Sleep Token broke through in a major way in 2025 with their album Even in Arcadia, which had listeners debating what kind of band they really were, all while topping charts and selling out shows.
After building a strong following with their first three albums, especially 2023’s Take Me Back to Eden, Sleep Token seemed poised to take a step into the mainstream with Even in Arcadia, their first record on a major label, RCA Records. Even still, no one was prepared for the Sleep Token fervor to come.
Even in Arcadia was announced in March alongside the release of the lead single “Emergence,” which introduced newcomers to Sleep Token’s habit of mashing pretty much every genre you can think of into one song. The 6 1/2-minute track blended elements of metal, alternative, pop and hip-hop, plus a saxophone solo thrown in for good measure.
Despite its lengthy run time and its hard-to-categorize sound, “Emergence” found its way onto the rock and alternative airplay charts, and even on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 — a Sleep Token career first.
Meanwhile, the U.S. arena tour that Sleep Token had announced alongside Even in Arcadia sold out six months before its kickoff in September.
When Even in Arcadia was released in May, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with the biggest week for a rock album in nearly a year. It also debuted at #1 in Sleep Token’s native U.K.
Along with their genre-fluid sound, the lore of Sleep Token was enhanced by their anonymous identities, led by a masked singer known only as Vessel.
However you choose to describe Sleep Token, their fans have clearly spoken. Along with the band’s commercial success, they earned nominations for the 2026 Grammys in the best metal performance and best rock song categories.
Here are some other breakout rock acts of 2025:
After earning their first radio hits and Grammy nominations thanks to their 2021 album, GLOW ON, Turnstile took another huge leap in 2025 with NEVER ENOUGH. The hardcore outfit’s latest record earned them their first top-10 release on the Billboard 200 and their first #1 hit on the Alternative Airplay chart with the title track. NEVER ENOUGH was also accompanied by a visual album that premiered at the Tribeca Festival.
Yungblud had possibly the biggest year of his career, thanks in part to his viral performance of Black Sabbath‘s “Changes” at the Back to the Beginning concert. He later paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne again following the Prince of Darkness’ death with a medley alongside Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry at the MTV Video Music Awards. Yungblud and Aerosmith also released a joint EP. In 2026, Yungblud will embark on a U.S. tour in support of his latest album, Idols, which is already sold out.
Spiritbox released their much-anticipated sophomore effort, Tsunami Sea, spawning their highest-charting radio hit in the single “Perfect Soul.” Frontwoman Courtney LaPlante also had a viral moment at the Grammys when she was confused for Poppy during a red carpet interview. She later teamed up with Poppy and Evanescence‘s Amy Lee on the single “End of You.”
New faces on the alternative charts in 2025 included sombr and Role Model, who earned hits with the singles “back to friends” and “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” respectively.
Good morning, America — and good bye to 2025. As the year draws to a close, Robin Roberts is once again inviting viewers to pause and reflect with her 15th annual year-end special.
The Year: 2025 finds Robin revisiting the moments that defined the past 12 months, alongside a lineup of ABC News voices, including David Muir, Michael Strahan, Linsey Davis and Sunny Hostin, along with special guests such as The Jonas Brothers, WNBA champion A’Ja Wilson and Sinners star Miles Canton.
The special looks back at headline-making events including the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial and Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement. It airs on Dec. 29, but Robin says the process of tracking potential moments began at the top of the year.
“It’s just trying to get a sense from folks, what have you remembered?” Robin explains of her year-end special. “What have you forgot? What should you remember? What do you want to forget?”
She’s most eager to revisit the stories that are no longer in the headlines but still matter deeply, like the devastating LA wildfires early in 2025 and the people still affected by its impact. She’s also excited to highlight lighter moments, including the story of a father who built a pantry during the government shutdown and was met with overwhelming support from his neighbors.
“It’s the holidays,” Robin shares. “You want a moment to exhale and breathe. So I just love the mixture that we bring to the year.” She credits her “fabulous team of producers” for putting the show together, as well as the anchors and correspondents who she calls “the best in the field.”
The Year: 2025 begins at 8 p.m ET on ABC and streams the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.
Flea at 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Disney/Ser Baffo)
Flea is here to help jazz up your holiday season.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist has shared a trumpet performance of what sounds like the song “Christmas Time Is Here” from the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas special.
“‘Twas the night before…,” the video caption reads. You can watch Flea’s performance now via RHCP’s Facebook.
You’ll be hearing even more of Flea on trumpet on his upcoming solo album, due out in 2026. The first single, “A Plea,” is out now.
Surprise guest Nicki Minaj is interviewed by Erika Kirk on the final day of Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest conference at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 21, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona. Minaj spoke about her frustrations with California Governor Gavin Newsom, and about why she has embraced the conservative movement. (Photo by Caylo Seals/Getty Images)
Nicki Minaj appears to have deleted her Instagram account following backlash over her appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest.
A general search for her account, @nickiminaj, currently yields no results. Fans who previously followed her see “no users found” when searching her name within their followers.
As previously reported, Nicki attended AmericaFest Sunday, where she expressed her admiration for President Donald Trump, VP J.D. Vance and the administration, among other things.
The appearance drew criticism, including from Joe Budden, who said he would no longer engage or defend Nicki.
“I’m out. I’m done. That was it,” Budden said on his podcast, calling the appearance “the last candle on the cake.” “I’m so confused by so much of what was said on that stage,” he added. “Extremely disappointed…Sometimes how y’all move out there does affect how I view you.”
Uncle Luke also questioned Nicki’s appearance, suggesting it stemmed from a desire for attention.
“Can somebody talk to her… Nicki Minaj, Turning Point? Do you really know what these f****** people are all about?” he said in an Instagram clip. “You’re going to sit down with [Charlie] Kirk‘s wife? These people said everything in the world about Black people. They deliberately targeted Black people… Nicki have you lost your f****** mind?”
Reports claim millions unfollowed Nicki before the account deletion, but Amber Rose came to her defense.
“I think she did a great job, an amazing job,” Rose told TMZ of Nicki. “We live in a free country. She has a right to her own political opinion just like everyone else does.”
“She didn’t say anything about the LGBTQ+ community at all,” Rose added. “I don’t know why people twist our words or think because we endorse Trump that we just hate gay people and trans people. That’s just not true.”
L-Celine Dion announces the fifth overall pick of the Montreal Canadiens onstage during the first round of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft, June, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images); R-Jim Carrey stars as The Grinch in ‘Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas’ (Getty Images)
We bet you didn’t have Celine Dion impersonating The Grinch on your holiday bingo card.
On Wednesday, the Canadian diva posted a video on Instagram showing herself dressed as the Grinch — complete with a Santa suit — sitting by a fire pit with a dog on her lap. The dog wears an antler tied to his head, just like The Grinch’s pooch, Max.
“When I was young/ I never needed anyone/All by myself/ I wanna be/ all by myself,” Celine sings in a Grinch-like voice, modeled after Jim Carrey‘s take on the character in the 2000 film Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She then launches into a direct parody of the scene in which The Grinch gets invited to visit Whoville.
Continuing in her Grinch voice — while still sort of sounding like herself — Celine says, “The nerve of those Whos, inviting me down there on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go, my schedule wouldn’t allow it!”
She then consults her day planner: “4 o’clock: Exercise my voice. 4:30: Wake my children up. 5 o’clock: Solve world hunger. Tell no one. 5:30: Jazzercise. 6:30: Dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again! 7 o’clock: Wrestle with my creative ideas. I’m booked!”
“Of course, if I bumped my creative ideas to 9, I’ll still have time to lay in bed and scroll TikTok videos endlessly,” she continues. “Or, I could just simply wish everyone Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. BORING!!!”
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson is paying tribute to the band’s original guitarist Mick Abrahams, who passed away Dec. 19 at the age of 82.
In a post on the band’s website, Anderson wrote that it was “with great sadness” that he learned of Abraham’s’ passing, noting Abrahams had “endured worsening ill health for the last 15 years leaving him finally unable to perform or interact socially to any degree.”
“Mick was vitally important to the early Tull formation” Anderson wrote, calling Abrahams “a strong vocalist and experienced, powerful and lyrical guitarist.”
Abrahams was a member of Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1968. Regarding their relationship, Anderson wrote that he and Abrahams “had 11 months of mutual benefit and learning experiences before the eventual falling-out – caused primarily by our different preferences as to future musical direction.”
He concluded the message offering condolences to Abrahams’ family and friends, who he noted should “feel justifiably proud of his achievements and musical legacy.”
Abrahams left Jethro Tull after the release of their debut album, This Was. He then formed the band the Blodwyn Pig, which went on to release four albums.
