For the last seven years, Imagine Dragons‘ hit “Radioactive” has held the record for the most weeks spent on the Billboard Hot 100. While that record has now been broken by The Weeknd‘s “Blinding Lights,” it’d be hard to call “Radioactive” anything but a rousing success, especially given where it started.
As frontman Dan Reynolds tells Billboard, “Radioactive” wasn’t on anybody’s radar when ID was first getting started.
“Once we signed [to Interscope], it wasn’t like everybody at the label was like, ‘This is the song,'” Reynolds recalls. “In fact, it was the opposite. ‘It’s Time’ was the first single, and we [already] had ‘Radioactive’ at that point.”
“Nobody thought that that song would play on radio,” he continues. “In fact, I remember our radio department specifically being like, ‘This song won’t play on radio.’ But the song just started to go on its own, and then it just went to radio because it kind of had a life of its own, and it kinda dictated its own way.”
Surely that conversation will be a pivotal scene if anyone decides to make an Imagine Dragons biopic.
As for “Radioactive’s” now-beaten record, Reynolds feels good that it fell to The Weekend, whom he calls a “legend” and an “icon.”
“I think his music is the type of music that’s going to live on for a long time, and do good things,” Reynolds says. “So if there was ever someone to take the record, I think it’s good company.”
Meanwhile, Imagine Dragons is gearing up to release a new album called Mercury — Act 1 on September 3. It features the singles “Follow You,” “Cutthroat” and “Wrecked.”
Since becoming a mom, Meghan Trainor has pivoted from music to TV, because it allows her to spend more time with her son Riley — and the Grammy winner says she knows how lucky she is to be able to have that option.
Along with Adam Lambert and others, Meghan will be a judge on the upcoming reality competition show on E! called Clash of the Cover Bands. She’ll also be the host of a new Top Chef spinoff called Top Chef Family Style, which will stream on Peacock. In both cases, she gets to work a normal day and return home in the evening, with the added bonus of Riley being able to join her on set. It’s quite a change from her previous life as a globe-traveling pop star.
“Yeah, it’s my dream and I still get to, like, come home and be working on music whenever I can,” Meghan tells ABC Audio. “And I just love that I don’t have to travel, honestly!” She laughs, “Like, I don’t even know…I couldn’t even picture me dragging him on a plane right now. It seems like a lot of work!
“I’m just so happy that we can drive 10 minutes to work and do our work and he gets to come with me,” she notes. “So many moms out there can’t bring their child to work every day. And I get to do that. So I’m super-lucky and I know how blessed I am. So it’s been awesome!”
So far, neither show has a premiere date set. Meghan’s most recent album was A Very Trainor Christmas, which came out in October of 2020.
There was a time, if you can believe it, when Camila Cabello “never had any friends,” she tells Bustle. But now she has plenty, and she says she was taught the importance of friendship by none other than Taylor Swift.
Camila tells Bustle that when her music career began, she and her mom did everything together “to the extreme. Because I never had any friends.” She explains, “I’ve been [working] since I was 15. I’ve been traveling so much, and it’s been really hard for me to water the soil for friendships.”
But when Camila was chosen to open for Taylor Swift on her 2018 Reputation tour, she says, she finally learned how important it was to cultivate non-romantic relationships.
“Taylor has always been so kind and supportive and also goes out of her way to give you artist advice,” Camila tells Bustle. “[She’s] really about making friendships and relationships the most important thing. She is so brave at watering those seeds of friendships and relationships.”
Camila adds, “She always answers my texts and she’s so busy. I don’t even answer texts because I’m just worse at it. It takes intention to be like, ‘Let me write all my friends back.’”
Luckily, Camila isn’t lacking in the romantic relationship department either, as her romance with Shawn Mendes proves. “There’s a lot of sweetness and tenderness [between us],” she tells Bustle. “I think we’re both sensitive. I’m really lucky to be able to surround myself with tenderness; it’s really important to me.
An updated version of Rush‘s 2019 screening event Cinema Strangiato will be shown in select theaters for one night only on September 9 in honor of the 40th anniversary of the legendary Canadian prog rockers’ 1981 album, Moving Pictures.
Rush: Cinema Strangiato — Director’s Cut will feature an alternate version of the film, which boasts highlights from the 2015 concert film R40 Live, plus behind-the-scenes segments and soundcheck footage.
The updated flick features bonus performances of “One Little Victory” and “Red Barchetta,” as well as the Neil Peart drum medley “Cygnus X-1″/”The Story So Far,” which is described as Neil’s “final recorded drum solo masterpiece.”
R40 Live features performances filmed in 2015 at a number of stops on Rush’s 40th anniversary trek, which turned out to be the band’s farewell tour. Peart died of brain cancer in January 2020.
Cinema Strangiato also includes interviews with The Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan, Foo Fighters‘ Taylor Hawkins, Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello, The Trailer Park Boys, Rush producer Nick Raskulinecz, and others.
Tickets for Cinema Strangiato — Director’s Cut are on sale now in the U.S. at CinemaStrangiato.com. Tickets will be available for screenings in Canada on September 1.
The team behind Big Little Lies is back for more drama with Nine Perfect Strangers, launching today on Hulu.
The miniseries is set at a boutique health-and-wellness resort whose director, played by Nicole Kidman, is on a mission to reinvigorate the tired minds and bodies of nine stressed city dwellers. Bobby Cannavale, who plays one of the resort’s guests, tells ABC Audio it’s not the kind of place you’re likely to find him.
“Sandals with the kids,” is the closest he’s come to visiting a health spa, although he doesn’t even think that qualifies. “[A] 50 minute massage is 10 minutes too long for me,” he admits. “I don’t like when they’re putting their hands on me and… I’m not into the facials and I can’t do it. They’re not relaxing to me. I like to be in a place that’s nice looking, but people leave me alone.”
Samara Weaving and Melvin Gregg play a couple in need of therapy, and Gregg says tinkering around the house helps him keep his mental health in check.
“I really enjoy like carpentry and like landscape work,” he reveals. “So, that’s how I kind of escape.”
Weaving’s routine for decompressing includes practicing as much self-care as possible.
“Every day,” she tells ABC Audio, “I’m riddled with anxiety, so I’m always try to fix it. Yeah, I’m crazy. I usually do yoga for like twenty minutes a half an hour if I can most days and then I’ll sit and meditate for like ten minutes. That’s always helpful. Therapy every week.
Music and acting stars Ludacris and Queen Latifah worked together on a film for the first time, and for the Fast & Furious actor, it was one of the highlights of his career.
They just wrapped shooting the thriller End of the Road in New Mexico, in which Latifah portrays a recent widow, who after losing her job, drives her family cross-country to start a new life.
“Filming with Queen was one of the best experiences ever, and I’m not just saying that,” Ludacris tells Billboard. “Her energy is so unmatched. She’s so zen’d the hell out.”
The three-time Grammy winner says he always wanted to collaborate with Latifah, and they had so much fun together: “We was laughing and joking on set every day.”
Luda dropped his new single “Butter.ATL” last Friday which pays tribute to his love of peanut butter, and his hometown, Atlanta. He also appears in a new Jif peanut butter commercial with Gunna.
Ludacris is also executive producing a new children’s animated series, Karma’s World, named after his first daughter. On July 28, his wife Eudoxie gave birth to his fourth daughter, Chance Oyail Bridges.
Twenty-two years ago, he dropped his debut studio album, Incognegro, on his own independent label, Disturbing Tha Peace. Now more artists choose to be independent, and Ludacris says the key to success is social media.
“Come up with clever ways to have things go viral, as opposed to trying to spark something negative,” Ludacris says. “Try to do something positive, funny or that hasn’t been done before that puts people on to your music.”
Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson is pregnant. Her husband Colin Jost confirmed the delightful news over the weekend.
The Saturday Night Live star, who was performing two sold out shows at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut, told the audience on Saturday that he and Johansson are about to become parents.
Allison Stockel and Jared Shahid, the Playhouse’s respective Executive Director and Artistic Director, confirmed to ABC Audio that Jost broke the news at their venue.
“Colin announced from the stage that he and Scarlett are expecting soon. I think it was fun for our audience to hear such big news unexpectedly,” Shahid remarked. “The crowd was very excited – everyone cheered and clapped.”
Both Stockel and Shahid described Jost’s announcement as “casual,” so both of them “assumed it was public knowledge” already.
Shahid also explained to ABC Audio that Jost’s performed a “Yondr show,” meaning all recording devices were not permitted and phones were placed in magnetic pouches during the event, “So no one was able to post about it.”
“It’s been fun to see the story develop over the last couple days,” he added.
The child will be Jost’s first and Johansson’s second. The actress shares six-year-old daughter Rose Dorothy with ex-husband Romain Dauriac.
Johansson, 36, and Jost, 39, confirmed their engagement in 2017 after two years of dating and tied the knot in October 2020.
(NEW YORK) — Marine Corps Maj. Thomas Schueman’s quiet street in Rhode Island is a world away from Afghanistan, but he remains steadfast in his mission.
As Taliban forces took over Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul Sunday, Schueman was desperately trying to find a way out of the country for his friend and former interpreter Zak, one of the many still trapped as the government collapsed around them.
“He wasn’t just a translator, he was my brother, basically one of my Marines,” Schueman told “Nightline.” “I have a lifelong commitment to the people I serve and lead.”
He hopes to get Zak, who will only be identified as such in this report to protect his identity, and his young family to the airport and to safety. Schueman made call after call as the hours turned to days.
Within a few short weeks of American troops leaving the country, Afghanistan has fallen to the Taliban, an Islamic military insurgent group, in a stunning failure. This comes after 20 years of Americans fighting there and $2 trillion spent.
Nearly 2,400 Americans, 66,000 Afghan military fighters and over 47,000 Afghan civilians were killed in the decadeslong war.
Many wonder if the sacrifices of those who served had all been in vain. Afghans who remain in the country stand to pay the highest price as the situation there grows more urgent by the minute.
Six thousand American troops have now been ordered to head directly to Kabul to assist in the evacuation of U.S. personnel and Afghans who assisted the U.S. mission. Images of Chinook helicopters evacuating U.S. personnel from the country were eerily reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in 1975.
President Joe Biden announced in April that he would make good on the Trump administration’s negotiated treaty with the Taliban to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. Just five weeks ago, he was adamant that what we have seen over the past few days would not happen.
Monday, amid growing criticism, Biden admitted the Taliban retook the country more quickly than anticipated, but stood behind his decision to leave Afghanistan.
“If anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision,” he said. “American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves.”
Afghanistan fell less than one month before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, after which the U.S. invaded their country. Dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom, it led to nearly two decades of fighting, involving roughly 800,000 U.S. troops.
Schueman was one of them. No stranger to the sacrifices of war, he earned a Purple Heart while serving. And like too many soldiers, he lost dear friends.
In 2010, he met a young interpreter named Zak. Schueman said Zak saved his life many times.
Schueman has spent the last five years trying to help Zak get a visa to the U.S.
“I think it’s a very simple transaction. You serve with U.S. forces and we will provide you a visa,” Schueman said. “He served with U.S. forces, we did not provide the visa. I think that’s a betrayal.”
As the Taliban took province by province, Zak spent days in Kabul working to get documents in order for him, his wife and four children, all under the age of five — while Schueman worked from the U.S. to devise an exit strategy.
“What the Taliban does to people who work with the U.S., they execute them,” Schueman said. “So this is not a ‘what if’ kind of scenario, this is what will happen if we cannot get Zak to the airport and on a flight.”
It’s become a nightmare reality for Afghan refugees — one call, one day, one moment could mean the difference between life and death.
After hours of back and forth, Schueman got the call Sunday night that Zak and his family were finally beginning the hour, 20-minute walk toward the airport.
But that glimmer of hope was dashed when hours later Zak left this voice message: “We just are returning back to our apartment because there was gunshot fire everywhere,” … “That’s why we returned back to our house.”
“We’ve exhausted every course of action I can think of — it’s about midnight, we’ll stay with them throughout the night here and pray for them,” Schueman said in a video diary late Sunday night.
Despite the setback, Schueman is still focused on finding a way out for Zak and his family.
The U.S. has now approved transport for 30,000 at-risk individuals, including interpreters and their families, out of Kabul — but the logistics remain daunting.
As of Tuesday, the Taliban was guarding the only way into the airport, only letting foreigners pass. The group declared they’re in full control, setting up checkpoints throughout the city to separate locals from foreigners.
Zak and his family remain in Kabul but they continue to be hopeful that he will get on an airplane.
“Until I know Zak has his ass on a seat in an airplane, I have to continue to believe that that is going to be what happens,” Schueman said.
(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.
More than 622,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.3 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Just 59.3% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the news is developing Tuesday. All times Eastern:
Aug 17, 8:28 pm
2 Florida school districts found in violation of state’s ban on mask mandates
Two school districts in Florida were found to have violated state law by mandating masking-wearing in schools during an emergency hearing held by the Florida State Board of Education Tuesday.
Alachua County Public Schools and Broward County Public Schools were non-compliant with Florida Department of Health Emergency Rule 64DER21-12 and are now subject to punishment and the potential withholding of state funding.
More than 600 students in Alachua County have been quarantined since the start of the school year just six days ago, Dr. Carlee Simon, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, said during the meeting.
Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools Vickie Cartwright said school administrators were concerned about the number of cases that are happening in Broward County as the delta variant spreads, especially since there were only five pediatric ICU beds available in Broward County as of Tuesday morning.
“We argue that we are exercising our constitutional responsibilities to protect our students and staff,” Simon said. “We believe this is, in quote, reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest.”
All Board of Education members present at the emergency meeting voted that both school districts were in violation of the law, which “protects parents’ right to make decisions regarding masking of their children in relation to COVID-19.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued in an that the board has the right to withhold state funding to schools that they find are “unwilling or unable to comply with the law.”
No punishment was specified for the schools during the emergency meeting.
-ABC News’ Victoria Arancio
Aug 17, 8:13 pm
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott not experiencing symptoms after positive COVID-19 test, he tweeted Tuesday.
As you may have heard, I have Covid.
Right now I have no symptoms such as fever or aches and pains.
Thanks for the well wishes from around the country.
I will remain engaged every day to govern the great state of Texas.
Aug 17, 6:52 pm
Hundreds of patients waiting for hospital beds in Texas
Patients in one region of Texas are experiencing extraordinarily long waits for hospital beds as COVID-19 continues to spread through the state.
Patients in southeast Texas, which includes Houston and the surrounding areas, are waiting in ambulances, hallways and more holding spaces for hospital beds to free up, Houston officials announced at a press briefing Tuesday.
Of the 678 patients holding in area emergency rooms with general admission orders, 265 of them have been infected with the virus, according the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council.
The ratio of patients who tested positive with COVID-19 is even worse for ICU admissions. Of the 112 patients in holding area emergency rooms who need an ICU bed, 75 have the virus, according to SETRAC.
-ABC News’ Gina Sunseri
Aug 17, 4:57 pm
Texas governor tests positive
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced.
The governor is fully vaccinated and has no symptoms, his office said, adding that he’s been tested daily.
Abbott is receiving Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment, his office said.
“Everyone that the Governor has been in close contact with today has been notified,” his office said.
Abbott has banned mask and vaccination mandates in Texas.
According to The Houston Chronicle, the governor gave a speech Monday night to a crowd of about 600 people where there was little social distancing or mask-wearing.
Aug 17, 4:29 pm
Hospitalizations could reach 32,800 per day by Sept. 1: Forecast
The U.S. could see as many as 32,800 hospitalizations per day by Sept. 13, according to the COVID-19 Forecast Hub at U Mass Amherst, which is used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The low end of the forecast is 9,000 per day.
Currently, more than 11,249 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 each day in the U.S., up from a daily average of 8,300 last week.
These forecasts suggest Florida, Louisiana and Texas hospitalizations may improve in coming weeks while other states, like California and New York, may see more hospitalizations.
-ABC News’ Brian Hartman
Aug 17, 4:08 pm
Mask mandate for US travel extended into January
The mask mandate for travelers on planes, trains and buses will be extended into January, according to a Department of Homeland Security source.
-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney
Aug 17, 9:03 am
Biden administration ships 1st of 500 million vaccine doses to Rwanda
The Biden administration on Tuesday will ship the first 188,370 doses of a 500 million dose commitment of the Pfizer vaccine to Rwanda, according to a senior administration official. The 500 million dose pledge was announced at the G7 summit in June and the contract the U.S. negotiated with Pfizer identified late August as the goal for initial shipments.
The U.S. is also sending 300,000 additional U.S. surplus doses to Rwanda Tuesday, making this first total shipment 488,370. All the doses will be distributed through Covax, the World Health Organization’s vaccine-sharing initiative.
Aug 17, 4:56 am
US reports over 200,000 new cases in a day for 3rd time this month
There were 209,988 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the United States on Monday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
It’s the third time this month that the U.S. has reported more than 200,000 newly confirmed infections in a single day.
Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins data shows an additional 683 fatalities from the disease were registered nationwide on Monday, down from this month’s peak of 1,889 new deaths on Aug. 13.
A total of 36,888,978 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 622,321 have died, according to Johns Hopkins data. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.
Aug 17, 4:38 am
Bangladesh extends COVID-19 vaccines to Rohingya refugees
Bangladesh has launched a COVID-19 vaccination program for Rohingya refugees housed in one of the world’s largest and most densely populated camps in Cox’s Bazar, according to a press release from the World Health Organization.
The campaign, led by the Bangladeshi government with technical support from the WHO and other partners, is initially targeting nearly 48,000 Rohingya refugees who are 55 and older. It’s part of Bangladesh’s national deployment and vaccination plan to ensure equity and fair allocation of vaccines across the country.
“Bangladesh is demonstrating what WHO has been advocating for — equitable access to vaccines,” Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, said in a statement Monday. “Inclusion is key to protecting vulnerable populations like the refugees, for safeguarding their health and that of their host communities and societies.”
More than 1 million Rohingya — a stateless ethnic group who predominantly practice Islam — are sheltering in crowded camps in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.
Aug 16, 11:38 pm
Biden admin expected to recommend boosters for all Americans
The Biden administration could soon be urging Americans to get a booster shot eight months after completing their original vaccination, a source familiar with the discussions told ABC News Monday.
Federal health officials and experts are currently coalescing around the idea that all Americans should receive a booster, the source said. Those booster shots could be rolled out as soon as mid to late September — pending Food and Drug Administration authorization.
The announcement, first reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post, could come as soon as this week.
The new timeline for the booster shots in a significant shift for the administration, which previously had been non-comital on when boosters for the majority of Americans would be needed.
Aug 16, 10:20 pm
El Paso sues state of Texas over ban on mask mandates
The city of El Paso has filed a lawsuit challenging Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in the state to allow for local protective measures to be ordered in the county.
Starting Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., a local health authority order will mandate that all individuals over the age of 2 wear some form of face covering while in public indoor spaces.
The parents of children under the age of 10 will be responsible for appropriately masking their children while outside their home, city officials said.
The order comes after El Paso City-County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza recommended masks at all indoor facilities in the county.
A face covering is not required on those who are eating or drinking or anyone who has trouble breathing, has a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.
(NEW YORK) — New York City’s indoor vaccine mandate went into effect Tuesday, making it the first major U.S. city to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to eat or drink inside bars and restaurants.
The new requirement, which applies to everyone 12 and older, doesn’t just apply to dining but includes nearly every public indoor activity, from gyms to bowling alleys to movie theaters to concert venues and more, according to the city.
Acceptable forms of vaccination proof include the NYC COVID Safe app, the state’s Excelsior Pass, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination card (or photo of the card), an NYC Vaccination Record or for those who got vaccinated outside of the New York, an official immunization record.
Beginning Sept. 13, the city will start enforcing the rule and fining businesses that don’t comply.
“Any establishment that is subject to the mayoral executive order that’s found to be noncompliant would be subject to a fine of $1,000 on the first offense,” Dr. Dave Chokshi, the city’s commissioner of health, said during a Monday press conference.
“Those fines can escalate with repeated offenses beyond that,” he added.
Patrons who attempt to get around the requirement will face penalties. “In terms of the concern about fake vaccination cards, the most important point is that a fake vaccination card constitutes fraud and will be prosecuted as fraud by that individual,” Chokshi said.
The indoor mandate comes as the highly transmissible delta variant is surging across the country, with 94% of U.S. counties now reporting high or substantial community transmission in the last seven days, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Keeping hospitality workers and customers safe from COVID-19 is an essential step toward protecting public health and preventing harsher restrictions that many restaurants and bars would not survive,” Andrew Rigie, executive director of NYC Hospitality Alliance, a nonprofit alliance that represents the restaurant and nightlife industries, said in a statement.
Still, that doesn’t mean implementing such measures is easy for businesses. Already understaffed restaurants and bars now have an additional stressor on top of running their business.
“We support the city’s efforts to get more New Yorkers vaccinated and we are already helping restaurants across the five boroughs comply with the new requirements,” Rigie added, noting that the new policy posed “operational and economic challenges for understaffed restaurants, bars and nightclubs struggling to recover.”
Vaccination rates in New York City’s general population are slightly above the national average. As of Tuesday, 63% of New York City residents had received at least one dose and 57% were fully vaccinated, compared with 51% of all Americans who’ve gotten at least one shot and 60% who are fully vaccinated, according to data from the city health department and the CDC.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos contributed to this report.
