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‘Stranger Things’ season 5 scores 59.6 million views, Netflix’s biggest English-language debut

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Stranger Things season 5 has turned Netflix’s records upside down.

During the first five days of streaming, the fifth and final season of the popular sci-fi series accumulated 59.6 million views.

That makes it the best-ever premiere week viewing numbers for an English-language series on the streaming platform and the third-best overall. The only thing ahead of Stranger Things season 5 are seasons 2 and 3 of Squid Game.

Co-creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer shared their reaction to the large audience that tuned in to watch season 5 during its debut week.

“The sheer number of fans who have already watched volume 1 is staggering — the response has been more than we ever could have dreamed,” The Duffers said. “The show is now a decade old, and seeing the fanbase not only endure but continue to grow has been incredibly rewarding for us, the actors, and the thousands of artists who helped bring this story to life. We truly cannot thank everyone enough, and we are beyond excited to share volume 2 — there’s so much more to come!”

Additionally, all five seasons of Stranger Things made the top 10 of the English TV list, with season 1 at #3, season 4 at #5, season 2 at #6 and season 3 at #8. This means the first four seasons of the show have now garnered an accumulated 1.2 billion views since their respective premieres.

Netflix released the first batch of season 5 episodes on Nov. 26. Those four episodes make up what is billed as volume 1. The second volume, consisting of three episodes, will debut on the platform on Dec. 25. The series finale of Stranger Things premieres on Dec. 31 and will also arrive in select theaters.

Fender celebrates 50th anniversary of Iron Maiden with new guitar collection

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The 50th anniversary of Iron Maiden is being celebrated with a new line of guitars from Fender.

The company has unveiled a new guitar collection to honor the heavy metal legends, including a limited-edition Masterbuilt Dave Murray Stratocaster from Fender Custom Shop, which mirrors guitarist Dave Murray’s favorite touring axe.

The line also includes two other limited-edition 50th anniversary Statocasters in honor of Murray and Janick Gers, as well as a bass for Steve Harris and a Jackson SC1 guitar in honor of Adrian Smith.

“Honoring Iron Maiden’s fifty years of pushing heavy metal forward, this collection brings together the signature instruments that helped define their unmistakable sound,” says Max Gutnik, chief product officer for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. “These anniversary models are more than tributes, they are stage-ready tools built to inspire today’s players and the next generation.”

More info on the guitars can be found at fender.com.

Lady Gaga reveals the concert that had her ‘losing my mind’

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Lady Gaga is known for her elaborate stage productions, but they may never have happened if she hadn’t seen a performance by the Goo Goo Dolls when she was young.

The “Bad Romance” singer recently sat down with The Late Show host Stephen Colbert to answer his Colbert Questionnaire. She revealed that she was blown away by a certain aspect of her very first concert, which featured a performance by the “Iris” singers.

“They had snow and I was losing my mind,” Gaga said. “It was my first experience with, like, production in an arena. I was crying.” She added, “My mother was like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’”

Gaga also revealed during the questionnaire that her favorite smell is her fiancé Michael Polansky‘s neck, noting that he doesn’t wear cologne. Said Gaga, “I actually don’t like cologne. That’s my least favorite” smell.

Elsewhere Gaga shared that if she could only listen to one song for the rest of her life, she’d chose John Lennon‘s iconic tune “Imagine.”

Gaga, who was raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, notes, “I grew up very close to the John Lennon memorial, so that has, like, a significance to me.” She was likely referring to Strawberry Fields in New York’s Central Park, which features a mosaic memorial with the word “Imagine” in the center.

Finally, when asked to describe the rest of her life in five words, she offered, “It’s gonna be great, hopefully.”

Ring in the season Tuesday night with Jordan Davis, Lauren Daigle & ‘CMA Country Christmas’

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

If you still aren’t in the holiday mood, tune into ABC’s CMA Country Christmas Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT for a dose of tinsel, mistletoe and festive music.

Filmed earlier this year in Nashville, the 2025 installment of the annual special is hosted by Jordan Davis and Lauren Daigle. It features performances by Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Lady A, Little Big Town, legendary New Orleans outfit Preservation Hall Jazz Band, gospel icon BeBe Winans, and husband-and-wife rockers Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.

Among the performances you’ll see:
Jordan Davis and Little Big Town, “Go Tell It On The Mountain”

Lady A, “Wouldn’t Be Christmas,” “Angels (Glory to God)”

Parker McCollum, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”

Megan Moroney, “All I Want for Christmas Is a Cowboy”

Little Big Town, “If We Make It Through December”

Lauren Daigle, “Jingle Bells/What Child Is This/Winter Wonderland” medley

The show will be available Wednesday on Hulu and Disney+.

John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ is the song Lady Gaga would listen to for the rest of her life

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

There are a lot of music fans who love John Lennon’s classic tune “Imagine,” and apparently Lady Gaga is one of them.

The “Bad Romance” singer recently sat down with The Late Show host Stephen Colbert to answer his Colbert Questionnaire. When asked what tune she’d pick if she could only listen to one song for the rest of her life, she chose Lennon’s song.

“Imagine” was the title track to Lennon’s 1971 album. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the bestselling solo song of his career. It has been covered by more than 200 artists, including Gaga, David Bowie and Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder. In 2023 “Imagine” was chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

Amazon Music names Drake most-streamed artist of 2025

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Drake was the most-streamed artist on Apple Music in 2025, the streaming platform has revealed. It shared the news on social media as part of the announcement for its year-end Replay lists.

Drake’s songs have also made a couple of Apple’s lists, including Top Songs of 2025: Global and Top 100 2025: Shazam.

“Nokia,” “Somebody Loves Me” with PartyNextDoor, “God’s Plan” and “Best I Ever Had” are included in the global top songs chart, which also featured SZA and Kendrick Lamar‘s “Luther,” SZA’s “Good Days,” Travis Scott‘s “goosebumps” and Mariah the Scientist‘s “Burning Blue.”

“Nokia” also appeared on the top 100 Shazam songs list, along with Drake and Lil Wayne‘s collaboration “She Will,” Doechii‘s “Anxiety,” and Kendrick’s “Not Like Us,” “Luther” and “Money Trees” featuring Jay Rock. Mary J. Blige‘s “Family Affair” is also on the list.

Some of Apple Music’s other Replay lists include Most-Read Lyrics, Top 100: Sing and the Shazam Global Radio Spins.

Dave Coulier shares new cancer diagnosis 1 year after revealing previous diagnosis

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Dave Coulier says he has been diagnosed with a second type of cancer, less than one year after announcing he had completed treatment for Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Full House actor shared the health update on Tuesday morning, telling NBC News he learned of the new cancer after a PET scan.

“Something flared on the PET scan, and it turned out that I have p16 squamous carcinoma at the base of my tongue,” Coulier said.

He said doctors told him the new cancer was “totally unrelated” to his previous bout with the disease, and he is currently being treated with radiation.

“I’m currently going through 35 radiation treatments,” he said. “I’ll be done though [on] Dec. 31.”

Coulier added that the prognosis is “very good” for squamous cell carcinoma that is p16-positive.

Coulier first announced his non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in a November 2024 episode of his podcast, Full House Rewind.

In an interview with People that same week, Coulier shared that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma after experiencing an upper respiratory infection in October 2024 that caused major and rapid swelling of his lymph nodes, with one growing to the size of a golf ball. He said at the time that he had undergone PET and CT scans, as well as a biopsy, which confirmed his diagnosis.

In a subsequent interview with Parade in March, Coulier said that his Full House cast members had acted as a support system during his treatment and recovery, calling the group “a family.”

Coulier was declared cancer-free in March 2025. In a statement at the time, he thanked his friends and family for “prayers, love and support throughout my emotional roller coaster ride through cancer.”

He also highlighted the importance of early detection, something he reiterated in his interview with NBC News on Tuesday.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is a type of oropharyngeal cancer that generally affects the head and neck area. Squamous cell oropharyngeal cancers that are p16-positive contain HPV DNA and often have a better prognosis, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Almost all of the cancers in the oral cavity and oropharynx are squamous cell carcinomas, also called squamous cell cancers. These cancers start in squamous cells, which are flat, thin cells that form the lining of the mouth and throat,” according to the organization.

The American Cancer Society counts 59,660 new cases of oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer each year and 12,770 deaths from the disease each year.

The five-year survival rate for oropharyngeal tongue cancer is 88% if localized, 70% if regional and 39% if distant.

Ellie Goulding reportedly expecting second child

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Ellie Goulding debuted her baby bump on the red carpet for the 2025 Fashion Awards in London on Monday.

While the singer did not publicly comment on the pregnancy, a source told People she is expecting her second child. It will be her first child with boyfriend Beau Minniear; she’s already mom to a 4-year-old son, Arthur Jopling, with ex-husband Caspar Jopling.

Ellie wore a black crop top to show off the bump, paired with a long black trench, black shorts and heels.

Ellie and Caspar announced their separation in February 2024. She and Beau were first rumored to be spending time together in July, and were spotted out and about together in September.

Garbage announces likely final headlining concert in Shirley Manson’s hometown

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Garbage has announced a concert in frontwoman Shirley Manson‘s hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, marking what the band says will likely be their final headlining show in the city.

The performance takes place July 11 at Edinburgh Castle.

“To bring the band home to play the castle for what most likely will be our last headline show in Edinburgh is without doubt, one of the greatest honours of my professional career,” Manson writes in an Instagram post.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time. For more info, visit Garbage.com.

Garbage previously announced that their recent U.S. tour, which wrapped in November, would mark their “last North American headline tour.”

Rick Springfield, 4 Non Blondes set for NYRE 2026

December 2, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Rick Springfield and 4 Non Blondes are among the acts set to ring in the new year on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026.

ABC will kick off the Dec. 31 festivities at 8 p.m. ET, with the show featuring countdowns from New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Puerto Rico and beyond. More than 85 songs will be performed before the show wraps up at 4 a.m. ET. It will also air the next day on Hulu.

Other artists booked this year include Goo Goo Dolls, Mariah Carey, New Kids on the Block, Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, Chappell Roan, Post Malone and Pitbull, with the Times Square headliner and special guests yet to be announced.

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