Cover of Peter Criss’ self-titled album (Flatiron Recordings)
Former KISS drummer Peter Criss is responding to reports that it will cost fans $1,000 to download a digital copy of his recently released self-titled solo album.
The reports surfaced after Criss’ Bandcamp page listed not only the physical copies of the album, but a digital link at a cost of $1,000 with the note, “Digital purchases are discouraged, That’s why the high price.”
But now in a post on Instagram, Criss is saying the issue lies with Bandcamp and he is not charging such a big pricetag for the download.
“Bandcamp had become an issue and I had requested Flatiron Recordings to disable the account associated with my records before the release day of my New record on December 19, 2025,” he wrote. “I am not in control of the Bandcamp account. Flatiron Recordings is. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and for the misinformation and implication that I am charging $1,000 for a download of my New record – I am Not.”
He then suggested fans “find another outlet to purchase” the album, sharing a linktree on his website for locations to purchase it.
Peter Criss is the first solo album from the rocker since 2007’s One For All.
Big Sean attends HBO’s ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August 13, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Big Sean is bringing more of his creativity to the world of the Detroit Pistons, where he’s been named the creative director of global experience.
As part of his role, he will work with the franchise on ways to leverage his platform to help increase community engagement and expand global fan development efforts, introducing Detroit basketball to new people around the world. He will also continue responsibilities from his previous role as creative director of innovation, focusing on the team’s product and design.
“Been building with the Pistons for the last few years and it’s been a dream from winning an Emmy together to designing city edition jerseys worn in game, and other pieces of incredible merch, while also linking local designers and creatives with the Pistons to collaborate and tying in the community,” Big Sean wrote on Instagram. “This new level of working in the front office of this iconic team means a lot. Its on!”
In a press statement, the Detroit native added that the new role allows him to “serve the Pistons community … on an even bigger scale.”
“Detroit has always been rich with talent and culture, and my mission is to keep opening doors and hiring our city’s creatives to shine alongside one of the most iconic franchises in sports,” he continued. “I’m grateful to the Pistons for trusting me to help define what the culture of Detroit Basketball really means.”
Sean and the Pistons have launched the Creatives Across Continents initiative to celebrate their expanded partnership; it will offer creatives an opportunity to develop designs inspired by Detroit basketball for a 2026 retail collection, using a prompt from Sean.
Additional details about the partnership will be revealed in the near future.
James Taylor performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for James Taylor)
James Taylor is sharing his 2026 tour plans with fans.
In a video posted on Instagram from a snowy New England, Taylor reveals that he will be hitting the road next year, giving fans an overview of where he’ll be playing.
“It’s a wintery scene here in New England, and a beautiful day, but a cold one,” he says in the video. “We’re thinking about the spring. We’re thinking about going on the road,” noting that they’ll be out west in California and Nevada in April.
“Then we’re gonna work our way back east and in June we’ll play a bunch of east coast gigs ending here in Western Massachusetts, at Tanglewood,” he adds, referring to his already announced shows July 3 and 4 at the Lenox, Massachusetts, venue.
But Taylor’s not just bringing his show to the U.S.
“Then we’re gonna hop across the pond and play in Europe again, which I’m really anxious to, eager to do,” he says, noting that he’ll be playing in Ireland, Scotland, England and Amsterdam.
“It’s gonna be a great spring and summer of touring for us and I’m really looking forward to getting back together,” he concludes the post. “Come out and see us.”
The post notes that exact tour dates will be announced in January.
Rob Reiner attends the screening of ‘Misery’ during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025, in Hollywood, California. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for TCM)
Turner Classic Movies has set a day to honor the life of the late filmmaker Rob Reiner.
The TV network is going to honor the legacy of Reiner’s life and career with a programming tribute featuring a slate of his movies on Jan. 28, 2026. It will be headlined by the network’s special premiere presentation of The Princess Bride.
The day of programming, which will be billed as TCM Remembers Rob Reiner, will also feature his films When Harry Met Sally…, Stand by Me and This Is Spinal Tap.
According to a press release from TCM, Reiner was a longtime friend of the network who passionately advocated for film preservation. His career started with his Emmy-winning performance on the sitcom All in the Family. He went on to direct films that spanned multiple genres.
“With This is Spinal Tap Rob began an extraordinary 11-year run that rivals the finest directors in Hollywood history: He made The Sure Thing, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few GoodMen, and The American President,” TCM host Ben Mankiewicz said in a statement. “The profound sense of loss we’re all feeling is heightened by Rob’s lofty standing in Hollywood, he was universally loved inside the entertainment industry.”
While Mankiewicz said he didn’t know Reiner as well as he would have liked, “he always made me feel like we had been pals for decades. Rob’s character was defined by the qualities we see in those films: kindness, decency, humor, compassion, and most of all, a belief in humanity.”
Reiner and his wife Michele Singer were found dead Dec. 14 in their Los Angeles home. Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested for their murders.
Mariah Carey ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ 30th anniversary (Sony Music Entertainment)
The success of Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has allowed her to achieve something no artist has ever come close to.
As the song remains at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the publication reports that Mariah has now spent a collective 100 weeks on top of the chart. She accumulated those 100 weeks thanks to her 19 #1 hits, including the holiday track. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has spent a cumulative 21 weeks at #1 over the years, making it the longest-running chart topper in the history of the chart.
How far ahead of other acts does this put Mariah? A lot. Rihanna, who is second, has only spent 60 weeks at #1. The Beatles, in third place, have 59 overall.
And Mariah just set another record as well. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” logs its 78th week on the Hot 100 in total. It’s now the longest-charted title on the Hot 100 by a female artist, passing the previous record holder: “Levitating” by Dua Lipa.
It’s been reported that every year, Mariah earns an estimated $2.5 million from her holiday hit alone, at minimum.
Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds To Mars performs at Ippodromo Snai San Siro on July 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images)
Thirty Seconds to Mars has shared a statement reflecting on 2025 and looking forward to 2026.
The band’s year included a show in August celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2005 album A Beautiful Lie, which spawned the single “The Kill.” Frontman Jared Leto also starred in the movie Tron: Ares.
“Dear MARS Army, as the year comes to a close, we’re feeling incredibly grateful and a little nostalgic,” Jared and drummer Shannon Leto write in an Facebook post. “This one felt especially meaningful as we celebrated 20 years of A Beautiful Lie, the album that changed everything. Seeing so many familiar faces, the ones who’ve been there from the beginning and those who joined along the way, meant everything.”
“That shared history and those moments we’ve lived together are what make this community what it is,” the post continues. “We took that energy on the road this year and felt it everywhere we went. Your support continues to push and inspire us. Thank you for being here, growing with us, and being a part of where we’re going.”
The Leto brothers conclude by teasing, “We can’t wait to share what’s next. More to come.”
One thing that’s coming is the 20th anniversary reissue of A Beautiful Lie, due out March 27.
The most recent Thirty Seconds to Mars album is 2023’s It’s the End of the World but It’s a Beautiful Day.
Sean Ono Lennon, the only son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, is concerned that younger generations may one day not know about his father or The Beatles.
During an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, Sean talked about taking over from his mother as the keeper of his father’s legacy, and explained why he feels it’s important.
Sean noted that it’s not only him but “the world” who are also the keepers of his dad’s legacy, adding, “I’m just doing my best to help make sure that the younger generation doesn’t forget about The Beatles and John and Yoko. That’s how I look at it.”
Asked whether he really thought it would be “even possible” to forget them, he responded, “I do, actually, and I never did before.”
“My parents gave me so much that I think it’s the least I can do to try and support their legacy in my lifetime,” he explained, noting, “I feel like I just owe it to them. It’s a personal thing.”
“I think The Beatles’ music, and John and Yoko’s legacy, is something important for the world to kind of cherish and be reminded of,” he added. “So, that’s how I see my job.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks during an event with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on October 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration is pausing leases for five offshore wind projects due to “national security concerns” identified by the Department of Defense, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced on Monday.
“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our east coast population centers,” Burgum said in a press release about the move.
The administration did not disclose what national security risks the wind farms posed, saying that the Department of Defense found the threats in “completed classified reports.”
“As for the national security risks inherent to large-scale offshore wind projects, unclassified reports from the U.S. Government have long found that the movement of massive turbine blades and the highly reflective towers create radar interference called ‘clutter.’ The clutter caused by offshore wind projects obscures legitimate moving targets and generates false targets in the vicinity of the wind projects,” the Department of the Interior said in its press release.
The action affects projects off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Virginia and New York.
According to the Department of the Interior, that five leases that will be affected are: Vineyard Wind 1 (OCS-A 0501), Revolution Wind (OCS-A 0486), CVOW – Commercial (OCS-A 0483), Sunrise Wind (OCS-A 0487) and Empire Wind 1 (OCS-A 0512).
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont called the move “yet another erratic, anti-business move by the Trump administration that will drive up the price of electricity in Connecticut and throughout the region.”
“This project is nearing completion and providing good-paying clean energy jobs,” Lamont said in a statement.
Burgum wrote in an X post about the move that the projects were “expensive, unreliable, heavily subsidized offshore wind farms.”
Trump has made clear his distaste for windmills in many public events and on the campaign trail.
“Wind is the worst,” Trump said in a speech in Pennsylvania earlier this month. He added in his remarks, “We don’t want — we don’t approve windmills. We don’t approve it. I’m sorry.”
During an overseas trip to Scotland in July, Trump told Europe to “stop the windmills.”
“You’re ruining your countries. I really mean it. It’s so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds. And if they’re stuck in the ocean, ruining your oceans. Stop the windmills,” Trump said.
Wind is the country’s largest source of renewable energy, accounting for about 10% of electricity generated in the United States, according to the Department of Energy. Proponents say renewable energy is instrumental in reducing the global reliance on fossil fuels, and the industry continues to grow worldwide despite political challenges.
The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, criticized the Trump administration’s action on Monday.
“The Trump administration’s vengeance towards renewable energy knows no end. Instead of progressing us forward as a nation, they are obsessed with attacking a growing industry that provides good clean energy jobs and affordable, clean electricity. Americans need cheaper and more reliable energy that does not come at the expense of our health and futures,” Melinda Pierce, the group’s legislative director, said in a statement.
Aaron Dessner and Gracie Abrams perform at American Express Presents: An Evening with Gracie Abrams at Brooklyn Paramount, March 20, 2025 in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Express)
In the wake of several high-profile shootings this month, Gracie Abrams, her producer and co-writer Aaron Dessner of The National and Bon Iver have just released an anti-gun violence charity single.
It’s called “Sold Out” and it’s now available on Bandcamp for $5, with the money going to Everytown, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the U.S. In a statement, the trio says, “We made this song last year in the wake of a school shooting. We were reminded of it this week as our hearts were broken yet again.” Presumably, they were referring to the shootings at Brown University, M.I.T. and at Australia’s Bondi Beach.
“It’s a sad one to share during the holidays, but the world is hurting and we shouldn’t look away,” the statement continues. “We are proud to support Everytown, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence in America. We are releasing this song to raise awareness of their mission of reducing gun violence.”
“Please visit their website for more information on the unbelievable work they do. Sending so much love to you all.”
According to Rolling Stone, the song’s lyrics are, in part, “Hiding from a gun inside your high school/ Just another Tuesday, normal, old news/ Someone spilled their blood on Molly’s white shoes/ Someone called their mother from the bathroom.”
In another part, Gracie sings, “All the men in suit and ties/ And their empty words/ In their thoughts and prayers tonight/ While the country burns/ They collect a check in pride/ And the system works/ And we all stay terrified.” You can hear a clip on her Instagram Story.
On his Instagram Story, Aaron wrote, “thank you @gracieabrams for finding a way to express our profound collective grief and create action.”
This screen grab taken from a video posted on the X account of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem shows a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft flying over a crude oil tanker, last docked in Venezuela, before apprehending it on Dec. 20, 2025. Handout/US Secretary of Homeland Security via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump last week announced a “complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela,” ratcheting up the pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime as 15,000 U.S. troops and 11 warships stand ready in nearby waters — and leaving questions over the scope of the apparent escalation.
A naval blockade is considered an act of war under international law. But Trump’s reference to “sanctioned” tankers indicated U.S. operations would continue as a law enforcement crackdown by the U.S. Coast Guard, which seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast last week and another over the weekend.
A Coast Guard interdiction is not a military operation; it is a court-authorized enforcement of U.S. sanctions.
According to retired Marine Corps Col. Steve Ganyard, a former State Department official and an ABC News contributor, the president’s orders, announced on his social media platform, amount to a legal quarantine — and not a blockade — because the post references only legally sanctioned tankers.
But Trump also referred to the Venezuelan regime as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), which could implicate any oil tanker that enters Venezuelan waters.
It wasn’t clear how the administration could designate the government as terrorists — or whether Trump was making reference to Cartel de los Soles, which the administration designated as a terror organization and has said is headed by Maduro.
What impact could a quarantine or blockade have?
Trump’s post last week “leaves more questions than answers,” said Clayton Seigle, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “What exactly are we going to do? How are we going to do it?”
“None of that is really detailed,” he said.
Whether the escalated pressure will target sanctioned vessels — or all vessels — remains an open question, but both approaches would impact Maduro, Seigle said.
“If you cut off all oil exports, and the associated revenues — and that’s a big if –then I think in a matter of weeks, the regime in Caracas would face extreme pressure,” he said.
If the U.S. continues to target only sanctioned tankers, “then I think that it could be a more prolonged runway for the regime to try to work something out, find a compromise, or even plan a deliberate exit.”
The U.S. says it has killed more than 100 people in the 25 strikes it says it has carried out on alleged drug smuggling boats since September.
Experts have pointed to President John F. Kennedy’s quarantine of Cuba in 1962 as an analogue to Trump’s approach — with unknown possibilities inviting risk.
“What if a ship doesn’t stop? This was the debate in the Cuban Missile Crisis,” Seigle said. “It’s all fun and games if they pull over and let [themselves] get boarded.”
“What if they don’t? Are you opening fire? Are you sinking ships?”
The announced blockade, though, “looks like it’s a relatively low-risk military operation” designed “to prevent” such a “quagmire,” Seigle said.
“Because if it goes smoothly and they’re able to cut off a lot of Maduro’s oil revenue, then they have a reasonable chance of getting the political outcome that they want, which is Maduro fleeing.”
Yet Trump on Wednesday wouldn’t offer a comment when asked if he sought regime change in Venezuela. Instead, he repeated a claim he said was a premise for blocking tankers.
“You remember, they took all of our energy rights,” he said of Venezuela. “They took all of our oil from not that long ago, and we want it back. But they took it. They illegally took it.”
Trump did not specify which period of nationalizations undertaken by the Venezuelan governments aggrieved the U.S. in his view.
An international arbitration court in 2013 ordered Caracas to pay $8.7 billion to U.S. firm ConocoPhillips, penalizing Venezuela for expropriation of crude assets in 2007 which it found to be unlawful.
Operating in the shadows The U.S. has sanctioned hundreds of oil tankers around the world which it says are part of an illicit network often called the “shadow fleet.”
27 of those designated tankers are operating in Venezuelan waters, according to Seigle.
Venezuela, Russia, and Iran “share that sanctioned fleet,” he added, and Venezuela’s slice is the smallest of the three.
A full quarter of China’s oil imports are produced by those sanctioned countries, Seigle said, leaving the country with “an outsized concern.”
“This is going to raise eyebrows and maybe raise concerns in Beijing among strategic planners that are responsible for making sure that they have enough oil,” he said.
Sanctioned tankers represent less than a fifth of the oil exported from Venezuela, according to Seigle.
“But I think it can have outsized effects in a number of important areas, including whether and for how long Maduro can hold out in a leadership position in Caracas, and also with regard to Venezuela’s biggest oil customer, which is China.”
Why call Maduro’s regime terrorists?
|As a part of Trump’s lengthy post on social media, the president also said the “Venezuelan regime” was an FTO, which the State Department designated it as in November.
Trump and State officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have repeatedly said Maduro is a narco-terrorist and the head of a narco-terrorist organization, adding that Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
Trump is likely referring to the designation of the Cartel de los Soles when he points to the “Venezuelan Regime” in his post.
The State Department alleges in its designation that Maduro and other high-ranking officials head the Cartel de los Soles and have “corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary.”
Maduro’s government categorically denies the existence of the cartel.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in November that the designation of Maduro as a terrorist gives the U.S. more military options in its anti-trafficking operation and public pressure campaign on the Venezuelan president.
The FTO designation “brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States,” Hegseth said. “It gives more tools to our department to give options to the president.”
Legal experts have told ABC that the designation does not in itself constitute an authorization of force. But administration officials have consistently pointed to these designations publicly when disclosing strikes on alleged drug traffickers.
Notably, while the Maduro regime has been targeted as a foreign terrorist organization, the country of Venezuela has not yet been placed on the official “State Sponsor of Terrorism” list.
Only Iran, North Korea, Syria and Cuba are currently listed as state sponsors of terrorism.
