Dan + Shay have been performing during the Academy of Country Music Awards since the 50th anniversary show at AT&T Stadium in Dallas in 2015, just as they’ll be Sunday for the 61st ceremony in Vegas.
But the hitmaking duo admits they still get some butterflies — and with good reason.
“The last time we performed at the ACMs, we opened the show,” Dan Smyers recalls. “It was the Songs of the Decade moment and we did ‘Tequila’ for the 2010s. And I looked out and George Strait was out there. I feel like that definitely makes you nervous.”
“But I think it makes you step up your game a little bit. It makes you rise to the occasion,” he reflects. “When you look out and see George Strait, it’s like, ‘We gotta bring it!’ And I feel good about that performance. It was good.”
“Knock on wood, we haven’t had any total, crazy mess-ups yet,” he adds. “But I think it’s inspiring to look out and see your peers.”
But Dan also says it goes even deeper than that.
“Country music is such a family. Everybody’s so supportive of each other. You know, you look out and see our friends Cody Johnson or Megan Moroney or whoever it is singing the words to your songs, and you’re like, ‘This is awesome, man!’ Like, it kinda makes you feel like you belong.”
Dan + Shay go into the 61st ACM Awards with seven trophies to their credit and another nomination for duo of the year.
You can tune in to watch their performance live from MGM Grand Garden Arena Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Amy Madigan attends the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, California. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
The upcoming reboot of The X-Files has added more actors to its cast.
Hulu has announced that Ryan Coogler’s reboot of the popular sci-fi series has added Amy Madigan, Steve Buscemi and Ben Foster to its guest cast. Also joining the cast are Devery Jacobs, Lochlyn Munro, Tantoo Cardinal, Joel E. Montgrand and Sofia Grace Clifton.
The streaming service shared the casting news to its Onyx Collective Instagram on Monday.
“We are SO seated,” the caption reads. “Ryan Coogler’s new X-Files reboot just added Amy Madigan, Steve Buscemi, Ben Foster, Devery Jacobs, Lochlyn Munro, Tantoo Cardinal, Joel E. Montgrand, and Sofia Grace Clifton to its guest cast .”
These new cast members join the previously announced series leads Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel.
According to its official logline, The X-Files reboot follows “two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents” who “form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena.”
Coogler is writing and directing the show’s pilot episode.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Hulu.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce on September 7, 2024 in New York City. (PTR/Star Max/GC Images)
Was Taylor Swift searching for some wedding inspiration when she popped up in Greece for the wedding of one of Travis Kelce’s teammates?
Taylor and Travis were seen in London last week dining out, going to the theater and attending the birthday party of Cara Delevingne’s sister Poppy. But according to People,the couple later touched down in Glyfada, Greece, on Saturday to attend the wedding of Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis and his bride, Kaia Harris.
The couple — especially Taylor — reportedly kept a low profile throughout the traditional Greek Orthodox celebration. According to Huff Post Greece, Taylor “danced the night away, chatted with guests, waited alone in line for food at the buffet, and impressed those who met her with her simplicity and friendliness.”
The publication also claims that Taylor and Travis arrived in Greece by private plane and stayed on “her boat near the hotel where the reception took place.”
“We have such cool friends, and the people we invited were just the best,” George told People of the three-day celebration, which featured 220 guests. “Everyone got along, made new friends, and danced together. I couldn’t have asked for a better day and night, honestly.”
Josh Groban’s new album, Cinematic, features his takes on famous songs from movies like The Lion King, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Godfather. But while figuring out what songs he wanted to put on the album, he also had to acknowledge that while there were songs he would like to include, he simply couldn’t get away with singing them.
“I would have loved to have done more comedy. I don’t have a comedic singing voice,” Josh tells ABC Audio. “I do sing comedy seriously, like on the Oscars and stuff, that’s always fun. But I would’ve loved to have done some Monty Python, you know? I would have loved to have done one of the big rock ballads.”
However, he explains, “There’s a lot of stuff that might be good on paper, but it’s just not meant for me to sing.”
As for the songs he did include, Josh says he and his producer would sit together “with just a piano and no mic” so he could “learn what felt good in my voice.” He notes, “We wanted to represent different eras. So if we felt like we’d already tackled a certain style of song, a Disney song, or a song from a classic era, or a song from the ’80s, then we’d kind of move on.”
But since there are only 10 tracks on Cinematic, is a sequel possible?
“Yes, there’s actually one extra song that we recorded that we’re going to release sometime next year,” he says, adding that there “may be” a Cinematic 2 at some point. He also says he’d like to do an encore of his Stages album, which features Broadway show tunes.
But that’s in the future. As he tells ABC Audio, “I’m going to work on new music next.”
Tim Foreman and Jon Foreman of Switchfoot perform during Innings Festival at Tempe Beach & Arts Park on February 22, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)
Switchfoot has announced a U.S. tour in support of the band’s upcoming album, Forever Now.
The headlining trek launches Sept. 17 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and concludes Nov. 21 in Seattle. Anberlin will also be on the bill for select dates.
“We poured everything we have into making Forever Now, but we always say that an album isn’t finished until you take it on tour,” says bassist Tim Foreman in a statement. “Playing new songs on the road and seeing them connect with fans every single night is a gift. These songs are incredibly meaningful to us… increasingly relevant in the ‘strange, strange times’ we live in.”
Presales begin Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time, and tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Switchfoot.com.
Forever Now, the follow-up to 2021’s interrobang, is due out June 26. A new song from the album called “Absolution” will be released Friday.
On their single “Drag Me,” From Ashes to New started from slightly above the bottom, now they’re here very much at the bottom.
“Maybe you’re not at the best place, but you’re not necessarily in a bad place,” vocalist Danny Case tells ABC Audio of the message of “Drag Me.” “And then it’s like, boom, you get dragged down.”
“That’s usually how, I think, tragedy strikes,” Case continues. “You’re just kinda going about your life, you’re going about your day, and then, boom, something bad happens and you’re in the bottom.”
Ironically, “Drag Me” has now risen to the very top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, giving From Ashes to New their first #1 on a Billboard radio chart. They previously peaked at #2 with the song “Barely Breathing.”
“We don’t necessarily write to try and make #1 radio rock songs,” Case says. “But if it does happen organically, I think that’s just a testament to how good the songs are.”
In addition to hearing “Drag Me” on the radio, you can hear it as the opening track on the new From Ashes to New album, Reflections.
“I think the song tonally, metaphorically, everything, sets the album up really nicely,” Case says.
Reflections is out now. From Ashes to New is currently on tour with Black Veil Brides and will hit the road with Shinedown in July.
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz attend the opening of the west coast showing of Giants- Art from The Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys at Museum Of Contemporary Art San Diego on April 17, 2026, in La Jolla, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for ABA)
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz continue to take their Giants art exhibit around the world, with the collection now on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Breaking into the art world came with challenges, as they had to learn to navigate the space as new Black collectors from the music industry.
“At least 75% of this show, we had to fight for. A lot of the artists who are our friends fought for us to have these masterpieces and it’s a blessing,” Swizz tells GQ about the obstacles they faced while building the exhibition. “But at the end of the day, we’re not using that as an excuse.”
Instead, Swizz emphasized the importance of creating change through action rather than frustration.
“How can we fix what we don’t like or what doesn’t feel comfortable? How can we change that landscape? And that’s through the work, not through complaining, like, ‘Oh, they’re not doing this,'” he continues. “Let’s stop giving they so much power on things that we need to do for ourselves. Why are we depending on they? Who are they? We know who we are.”
The Giants exhibition officially launched in 2024 and has since showcased the work of Black diasporic artists, but the plan is to eventually expand.
“Yes, we’re Black collectors—but we’re art collectors and we feel that we can represent our tribe and also shine light on other people’s tribes. It was only right to start with our own tribe,” Swizz explains to GQ, before teasing future exhibits.
“We have artists of all colors in our collection, but it was only right to highlight our tribe,” he says. “But we plan on doing Giants 2, 3, 4, 5, 6—keep changing the shows up, maybe change the titles.”
Paul McCartney’s ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ (MPL/Capitol Records)
Paul McCartney is getting ready to release his new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which was produced by Andrew Watt, the producer behind The Rolling Stones’ 2023 album, Hackney Diamonds, and their upcoming release, Foreign Tongues.
Dungeon Lane has McCartney in a reflective mood, looking back on his life. But when it came to the sound of the album, McCartney didn’t want to be inspired by the past.
“If you’re working with the Stones, they’ve got the Stones sound. It’s kind of the opposite with me – we’re trying not to do that,” McCartney says. “The way we approached this album was: We’ve done that before. Let’s do it different.”
McCartney and Watt worked on the album for four years, despite McCartney having an interesting first impression of the producer.
“I came away from the first session thinking, well, I like him, but he’s a bit pushy,” McCartney tells the mag. “But pushy’s not a bad thing in a producer,” he added. “It’s just enthusiasm from someone who wants to keep making this record. It’s infectious.”
The Boys of Dungeon Lane, McCartney’s first solo record since 2020’s McCartney III, will be released May 29. Ahead of the release, McCartney will be the musical guest on the season finale of Saturday Night Live on May 16.
FBI Director Kash Patel holds a news conference at Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2026. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — FBI Director Kash Patel is set to be questioned by members of the Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday afternoon amid several controversies involving the director.
Patel will testify alongside the other heads of the Department of Justice agencies such as the heads of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
While it’s a hearing regarding the 2027 budget request, Patel is expected to face questions about a host of issues from the alleged misuse of FBI resources for travel to the story in The Atlantic that alleged he has had “bouts of excessive drinking” and job performance issues.
Patel said last month that he’s “never been intoxicated on the job,” following the report. Patel sued The Atlantic over the article, demanding $250 million in damages.
Asked about the article during an unrelated press conference last month, Patel railed against negative media coverage.
“I can say unequivocally that I never listen to the fake news mafia and when they get louder, it just means I’m doing my job,” Patel said.
In February, Patel joined in on Team USA hockey’s locker room celebrations in Italy shortly after the team won the gold medal — a move that drew scrutiny about his use of FBI resources to attend.
Patel, a hockey fan, was said to have had meetings in Italy prior to attending the game. Ben Williamson, an FBI spokesperson, said on social media that Patel’s trip had been previously scheduled. He added that “any other personal expenses would be reimbursed.”
During the hearing, Patel is also expected to tout his successes at the FBI.
“Whether it’s rebuilding our entire backbone infrastructure, caring more for our workforce, actioning the business side of the house, eliminating bureaucracy, integrating AI, procuring equipment, developing new private sector partnerships – we have delivered the changes you have been requesting for years… and we did it in just over 1 year,” Patel said in a message to the FBI last week. “Together, these reforms have truly transformed this FBI into the premier modern-day law enforcement organization we need to be.”
When Patel last testified on Capitol Hill in September 2025, he sparred with Democrats as he faced questions about the assassination of conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk and his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The Ateela 2 Oil Tanker boat navigates the sea on April 28, 2026 on Qeshm Island, Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. (Photo by Asghar Besharati/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — An inflation report on Tuesday will provide a fresh gauge of prices as the Iran war ratchets up costs for gasoline, airfares and other expenses.
Economists expect consumer prices to have risen 3.8% in April, when a surge in gasoline costs took hold weeks into the war, which would mark a significant acceleration from 3.3% in the previous month.
As recently as February, inflation stood at 2.4%, clocking in just a tick above the Federal Reserve’s target level of 2%.
The Middle East conflict prompted the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March, a maritime trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global oil supply. The standoff prompted one of the largest oil shocks ever recorded.
The U.S. is a net exporter of petroleum, meaning the country produces more oil than it consumes. But since oil prices are set on a global market, U.S. prices move in response to swings in worldwide supply and demand.
Crude oil is the main ingredient in auto fuel, accounting for more than half of the price paid at the pump, according to the federal U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The price of an average gallon of gas stood at $4.52 as of Monday, AAA data showed – an increase of $1.54 per gallon since the war began on Feb. 28. That amounts to a nearly 52% price jump in about two-and-a-half months.
The surge in fuel prices sent costs surging for gas-dependent transportation, such as airline tickets. In March, airfare costs jumped more than 3% from a month earlier.
Within weeks, the jump in prices could spread to groceries, furniture and just about any other item delivered by diesel-fueled trucks and tankers, some analysts previously told ABC News.
The recent rise in prices has left many consumers feeling glum. In May, consumer sentiment fell to the lowest level ever recorded, according to a monthly survey conducted by the University of Michigan since 1978.
Consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, could weaken if shoppers remain pessimistic. In theory, a slowdown of spending could slow the economy.
By some measures, however, the U.S. economy has proven resilient amid the war.
Hiring slowed in April but remained solid, exceeding economists’ expectations, federal government data last week showed. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3% in April, a low level by historic standards. Additionally, the economy grew at an annualized rate of 2% in the first quarter of 2026, marking an acceleration from 0.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter.
However, a persistent increase in consumer prices may put pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates as a means of dialing back inflation.
The Fed has opted to hold interest rates steady at three consecutive meetings since the outset of 2026. Before that, the Fed cut interest rates a quarter-point three straight times.
If the Fed moved to raise interest rates, it would hike borrowing costs for many consumer and business loans, risking an economic slowdown.
Markets forecast a roughly 70% chance of interest rates holding steady for the remainder of this year, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
