Music

Tessa Thompson will be honored at the 2025 Gotham Awards for her titular performance in the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios drama Hedda. She is set to receive the Spotlight Award at the Gotham Film & Media Institute’s 35th annual awards ceremony, taking place Dec. 1 in New York City.

An adaptation of Henrik Ibsen‘s play Hedda Gabler, Hedda follows a young newlywed who yearns for a past love while hiding her discontent with her life and husband. Over the course of one party and night, she “orchestrates a ruthless game of manipulation, where lust, jealousy and betrayal collide,” according to Deadline.

“Tessa’s performance is both fearless and revelatory – an interpretation that deepens one of dramatic literature’s most complex characters and brings her into new focus for the audience that we represent here at The Gothams,” said Jeffrey Sharp Gotham, executive producer at Gotham Film & Media Institute, to Deadline. “We are thrilled to honor Tessa with the Spotlight Tribute and celebrate her extraordinary work in bringing Hedda to life with such depth and nuance.”

Tessa’s performance as Hedda has also earned her the Actress Award at this year’s Critics Choice Association‘s eighth annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television awards, taking place Dec. 9 in Los Angeles. 

Hedda, directed and written by Nia DoCosta, premieres Oct. 22 in limited theaters; it releases Oct. 29 on Prime Video. Tessa also serves as producer on the film.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Since Taylor Swift released The Life of a Showgirl, people have commented on how some of the songs on the album sound like other songs. Apparently Taylor doesn’t mind a comparison, as long as it’s being pointed out by a fellow pop star.

Backstreet Boys‘ AJ McLean posted an Instagram Reel showing himself jamming out to a fan-created mash-up of Backstreet’s classic “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and Taylor’s new song “Elizabeth Taylor”; Taylor’s sped-up vocals are set to the music of the Backstreet track. Both songs were co-written and co-produced by Max Martin.

AJ wrote in the caption, “Come on now you know one of us had to! @taylorswift !”

Taylor replied in the comments, “OH HI AJ OH MY GOD.”

One fan replied, “please get together make this an official Spotify mashup that we can all stream.”

Coincidentally, or perhaps not, AJ’s post came a day after he appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show and described how he’d gotten cool points with one of his daughters by introducing her to Taylor “two or three times now.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The West Yorkshire Police in England have announced the arrest of two more people in its investigation into the prison murder of former Lostprophets frontman and convicted child sex criminal Ian Watkins.

As previously reported, Watkins was attacked and killed on Oct. 11 at the HMP Wakefield prison, where he’d been serving a 29-year sentence for charges including attempted rape and sexual assault of a child under 13.

On Oct. 13, police announced they’d charged Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, with Watkins’ murder. They’ve since arrested two additional unnamed men, aged 23 and 29, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

“Extensive enquiries remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins and these arrests form part of that,” says Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. “Ian Watkins’ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”

Watkins was first charged in 2012, and Lostprophets officially disbanded in 2013.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

As if there weren’t enough Taylor Swift songs around right now, Dan + Shay have rush-released a cover of one of her tunes due to fan demand.

The duo posted a clip of themselves singing an impromptu version of Taylor’s “Back to December” from her 2010 album, Speak Now. So many fans asked for the full version that they headed right into the studio to record it and released it just days later. It’s available now on streaming services.

“What started as an impromptu soundcheck cover of one of our favorite @taylorswiftsongs turned into the quickest recording-to-release turnaround in our almost 13 year career,” the duo wrote on Instagram. “Huge thanks to our fans who encouraged us to get in the studio and make a full version, and to everyone on our team who worked like crazy to help us make it happen. We’re proud of the way it turned out, and hope you love it as much as we do.”

The group then wrote on Instagram Monday, “Back To December + fall weather go together like 2026 + @danandshay world tour,” teasing an upcoming return to the road.

Dan + Shay recently announced that they’d be putting out a new Christmas song this holiday season. They’d previously scored with the original holiday tracks “Pick Out a Christmas Tree,” “Officially Christmas” and “Holiday Party.” Last year they released It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sick New World is back and even sicker than ever.

After canceling its 2025 event, the nu metal nostalgia festival has announced its return for 2026 in two locations: Las Vegas on April 25 and Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 26. 

Sick New World Las Vegas will be headlined by System of a Down and Korn, while System and Deftones lead the bill for Forth Worth. The Las Vegas lineup also includes Bring Me the Horizon, while Fort Worth will feature a 40th anniversary Reign in Blood performance by Slayer.

Both bills will feature artists including AFI, Evanescence, Marylin Manson, Mastodon and Underoath.

Presales for Las Vegas begin Thursday at 10 a.m. PT, and for Fort Worth Friday at 10 a.m. CT. For the full lineups and all ticket info, visit SickNewWorldFest.com.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paramore‘s song “Still into You” was first released in 2013 as a single off the band’s self-titled album, and after all this time, people are very much still into it, including Lewis Capaldi.

The “Someone You Loved” singer put his spin on “Still into You” during a performance on the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. For his version, Capaldi strummed an acoustic guitar in place of the original’s upbeat riff. He was accompanied by a keyboard, horns, strings and backup vocalists.

All that added up to a more mournful version of “Still into You” — as one listener quips in the comments, “Great, now I can listen to Paramore when I am sad.”

You can watch Capaldi’s “Still into You” cover on YouTube.

Paramore is currently on break after completing their tour in support of their latest album, 2023’s This Is Why. Meanwhile, frontwoman Hayley Williams put out a new solo album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party, in August.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

As if there weren’t enough Taylor Swift songs around right now, Dan + Shay, the duo best known for their hits “Speechless,” “Tequila” and “10,000 Hours,” have rush-released a cover of one of her tunes due to fan demand.

The duo posted a clip of themselves singing an impromptu version of Taylor’s “Back to December” from her 2010 album, Speak Now. So many fans asked for the full version that they headed right into the studio to record it and released it just days later. It’s available now on streaming services.

“What started as an impromptu soundcheck cover of one of our favorite @taylorswift songs turned into the quickest recording-to-release turnaround in our almost 13 year career,” the duo wrote on Instagram. “Huge thanks to our fans who encouraged us to get in the studio and make a full version, and to everyone on our team who worked like crazy to help us make it happen. We’re proud of the way it turned out, and hope you love it as much as we do.”

The group then wrote on Instagram Monday, “Back To December + fall weather go together like 2026 + @danandshay world tour,” teasing an upcoming return to the road.

Dan + Shay recently announced that they’d be putting out a new Christmas song this holiday season. They’d previously scored with the original holiday tracks “Pick Out a Christmas Tree,” “Officially Christmas” and “Holiday Party.” Last year they released It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Leon Thomas is teasing his new EP, Pholks, with a trailer featuring Issa Rae. 

She takes on the role of a host who’s introducing the crowd to upcoming performer Leon.

“Right over here, ladies and gentlemen, now I need you to get yourself and your souls together. This man will make your liver quiver. This man will make your bladder splatter. This man will free your knees,” Issa says. “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s all welcome soul brother #1 Leon Thomas.” The curtain then opens to find Leon, backed by a band and standing centerstage with his guitar around neck.

Leon’s teaser is now available to watch on his social media and YouTube; it marks another collaboration between Issa and the singer, who appeared on a season of Issa’s HBO series Insecure.

Pholks is set to release on Friday, featuring seven tracks and a verse from 4batz. Leon previewed the EP with the recently released single “Just How You Are,” out now with an accompanying video.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Morgan Wallen lands the 20th #1 of his career as “I Got Better” takes its place at the top of the Mediabase country airplay chart. 

It’s the superstar’s fifth #1 from his I’m the Problem album, which came out in May and has spent a dozen weeks atop Billboard‘s all-genre album ranking. 

Meanwhile, Morgan’s busy cueing up what may be his 21st #1, releasing the music video for his new radio single, “20 Cigarettes.”

The dark, smoky clip was directed by Justin Clough, who also helmed the recently released “I Got Better” video. 

The “20 Cigarettes” treatment traces the nicotine-fueled romance in the song, with Morgan teasing it on socials as “One hell of a pack.”

He also posted a still of himself from the video, adding, “What I do when I’m trying to decide if ima tour in ‘26 or not,” perhaps indicating an announcement could come soon. 

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.