John Mayer and Director McG Join Forces to Buy Historic Jim Henson Studio Lot for $60M

John Mayer and director McG (Family Switch) have teamed up to buy one of Hollywood’s most historic studio lots. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson for guitarist/singer Mayer confirmed that the pair are “under contract to buy Henson Studios.”

THR reported that the approximately $60M bid was a “dramatic reversal” for the famed property that was the former home of A&M Studios and, before that, Charlie Chaplin Studio, and which was reportedly being bid on by the controversial Church of Scientology, which already owns a number of other properties in the area.

Before Mayer and McG (born Joseph McGinty Nichol) swooped in, the property was reportedly being circled by Fab Factory Studios, a music production company run by father/son team Steven and Shaun Fabos; the elder Fabos is reportedly a major Scientology financial supporter and his son was tagged as a hostile witness by the prosecution during Scientologist Danny Masterson’s rape trial for changing his testimony on the stand in support of the actor who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2023.

According to THR, the Fabos had a hold on the property, but when that ran out Mayer, who already has offices on the premises, swooped in to close the deal. The lot is a piece Hollywood history that had been under the Henson company since its purchase in 1999. It dates back to the early days of movie production when it began as the home base for silent film icon Charlie Chaplin’s studio beginning in 1917. After Chaplin sold the facility in 1953, the Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument was eventually acquired by A&M Records in 1966, which subsequently sold it to Muppet master Henson in 2000 to serve as the home base of The Jim Henson Company.

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Robbie Williams Announces Massive 2025 U.K./Ireland and Europe Tour Dates

Robbie Williams has announced a string of live 2025 dates throughout summer across the U.K., Ireland and mainland Europe. 

The British pop icon will begin the tour in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 31 before visiting stadiums in London, Manchester and Bath. He’ll then head to the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Latvia and more before concluding the run in Helsinki, Finland on Sep. 20.

Support on the U.K. leg will come from Warrington rock band The Lottery Winners, while Rag ‘N’ Bone Man will do the honors on select dates in Edinburgh and London. See the full run of dates below.

Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday (Nov. 15) at 10 a.m. GMT. Fans can secure early access to tickets by pre-ordering the upcoming compilation soundtrack to biopic film Better Man, which will be released on Dec. 26, 2024 in the U.K. and Ireland, and on Jan. 17, 2025 in the U.S. and Canada. 

The soundtrack, which will feature Williams’ greatest hits, will be released digitally on Dec. 27 with a physical release to follow. A tracklist is yet to be confirmed.

Better Man will tell the story of Williams’ life through childhood and his fame with ‘90s boyband Take Thats, and follow his wildly successful solo career which includes 13 No.1s on the U.K. Albums Chart and 18 BRIT Awards. Williams will be played by a CGI monkey throughout the film directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman).

In a press release, director Gracey expanded on the decision to not use a human actor in the otherwise live action film. “Robbie would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey.’ After a while, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to represent Robbie as a monkey in the film?’ Because Robbie is telling this story – and that’s how he sees himself.” Watch the trailer for the film below.

Robbie Williams 2025 European Tour Dates

May 31 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, U.K.
June 6 – Emirates Stadium, London, U.K.
June 11 – Co-op Live, Manchester, U.K.
June 13 – Royal Crescent, Bath, U.K.
June 19 – Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
June 22 – Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 25 – VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
June 28 – Werchter TW Classic, Belgium 
June 30 – Heinz von Heiden Arena, Hanover, Germany
July 2 – La Défense Arena, Paris, France
July 5 – RCDE Stadium, Barcelona, Spain
July 9 – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany
July 12 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 
July 17 – Stadio Nereo Rocco, Trieste, Italy
July 21 – Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
July 22 – Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
July 26 – Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
August 1 – Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, Lithuania
August 3 – Mežaparks, Riga, Latvia
August 7 – Stockholm Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
August 10 – Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany
August 13 – Forus Travbane, Stavanger, Norway
August 16 – Granåsen, Trondheim, Norway
August 23 – Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
September 7 – O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
September 9 – TAURON Arena, Kraków, Poland
September 12 – MVM Dome, Budapest, Hungary
September 20 – Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland

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Selena Gomez Gushes Over BF Benny Blanco’s Inclusion in People Sexiest Man Alive Issue: ‘You Love Me Unconditionally’

Selena Gomez already knew she was dating one of the Sexiest Men Alive. But it definitely felt good that People magazine agreed. After boyfriend producer Benny Blanco appeared in a preview of this year’s issue — in which he sprawled seductively across a desk while showing off his signature champagne and homemade Mexican Pizza meal — Sel had some thoughts.

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In an Instagram Story, Gomez reposted the pic with her own shout-out, writing, “Not only do you love me unconditionally… You always get me my Taco Bell Mexican pizza.” In a second slide, Gomez posted a poem from author William C Hannan — while tagging Blanco — that read, “I still haven’t figured out how to sit across from you/ And not be madly in love with everything you do.”

Blanco mentioned in his interview that he’s mastered his own take on Taco Bell’s meat mix because it’s one of the singer’s favorites, telling the magazine that, “I’ve practiced a lot, and I think it’s pretty indistinguishable now if you put them side by side. There’s so many things you have to do. Part of the meat is kind of blended. It’s disgusting, but it’s delicious. I do it all from scratch… Even if you’re terrible at cooking, [your partner will] like it because you did it. Ask your partner what they want to eat. Don’t try to cook them what you want to eat. If you don’t know how to cook it — learn it.”

The couple have been together since last year and in the preview of the Sexiest Man issue — this year’s honoree is slated to be revealed on The Late Show on Tuesday night (Nov. 12) — Blanco gave his eight secrets to success in love and life. That roster included, of course, learning how to cook your beloved’s favorite meals, making the first date a big deal, taking care of what you wear and how you look and being a great party host, among other tips.

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RAYE Announces Biggest-Ever Show at London’s All Points East Festival

RAYE has announced her largest-ever concert at London’s All Points East Festival next summer. The genre-spanning musician will headline the 50,000-capacity Victoria Park on Aug. 23, 2025 and joins The Maccabees and Barry Can’t Swim as headliners for the annual music event.

Writing on her Instagram Stories, RAYE said: “We are going to be bringing you a beautiful show full of passion and incredible musicians to Victoria Park. I’m going to work hard to make it the most beautiful show we are capable of.”

Tickets for the event go on general sale Friday (Nov. 15) at 10 a.m. GMT via the festival’s official website. A full lineup for the event will be announced soon.

It’s the latest announcement for what’s shaping up to be another massive summer of live music in the capital. Breakout dance star Barry Can’t Swim was recently announced to headline All Points East on Aug. 22, while indie heroes The Maccabees shared that they would be reuniting for their first show in 8 years on Aug. 24 as part of the festival’s programme.

Elsewhere, BST Hyde Park, which takes place in June and July, has announced headliners including Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan and Jeff Lynne’s ELO. 

The announcement follows news last week that RAYE had been nominated in three Grammys categories – best new artist; songwriter, non-classical; engineered album, non-classical. The singer-songwriter, who fuses elements of pop, jazz, R&B and more, independently released her debut album My 21st Century Blues in 2023 following a protracted production while signed to Polydor Records. 

Her song “Escapism” charted at No.1 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart in 2022 and peaked at No.22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Earlier this year, RAYE won in isx categories at the 2024 BRIT Awards, a new record for an artist on a single night.

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Paul Weller, Kneecap, Primal Scream and More to Play Palestine Fundraiser Gig in London

Paul Weller, Kneecap, Primal Scream, and Liam Bailey will be among the performers at a benefit event in support of humanitarian charities in Palestine at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Dec. 13. 

The show curated by Weller, which is titled Gig For Gaza, will also feature guest speakers and short films. All proceeds from the night will go to MAP (Medical Aid For Palestine) and Gaza Forever. Tickets will be available on Friday (Nov. 15) at 9 a.m. GMT via Ticketmaster. The official artwork was designed by Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack.

During recent performances, Weller discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Speaking on stage at a gig in Glasgow, Scotland last month, the songwriter explained that he didn’t want to subject audience members to “a political rant,” but felt as though it was important to speak his mind.

“I would like to dedicate that last song to all the tens of thousands of women, children, babies, men, civilians in Palestine and Gaza,” Weller told the crowd at the city’s Barrowlands venue. “I would ask you one question. It’s really simple. There is no grey area. Are you for genocide, or are you against it? It’s a f–-king yes or no question…”

The war was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, during which more than 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed by Hamas fighters who also took more than 250 hostages. In the year that has followed, Israeli forces have reportedly killed more than 42,000 Palestinians according to Palestinian authorities, as well as launching recent airstrikes in Iran and Lebanon.

Having previously fronted and supported left-wing movements (including organizing the pro-Labour party Red Wedge collective in the 1980s), Weller has a storied history of activism. He recently wrapped up a headline tour across the U.K. in support of his latest LP 66, which reached No.4 in the Official U.K. Albums Chart in June.

Irish rappers Kneecap, meanwhile, unveiled their debut album Fine Art earlier this year, which was supported by the release of their eponymous biopic starring the trio themselves alongside actor Michael Fassbender. Following Gig For Gaza, they will play their biggest headline show to date at Belfast’s 11,000-capacity SSE Arena on Dec. 21.

In March, Kneecap withdrew from performing at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, after it was revealed that the U.S. Army was a “super sponsor” of the event as well as defense contractor RTX Corporation. “It is done in solidarity with the people of Palestine and to highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies,” the group explained of their decision via Instagram. “This will have a significant financial impact on Kneecap… but it isn’t an iota of hardship when compared with the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza.”

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Ella Jenkins, ‘The First Lady of Children’s Folk Song,’ Dies at 100

Ella Louise Jenkins, celebrated as the “First Lady of the Children’s Folk Song,” passed away on Nov. 9 at the age of 100.

A visionary in children’s music, Jenkins revolutionized the genre, introducing young audiences to a wealth of global musical traditions and promoting inclusivity through her songs.

Jenkins, born on August 6, 1924, in St. Louis and raised on Chicago’s South Side, grew up immersed in the sounds of blues, gospel, and local singing games that would inspire her groundbreaking work in children’s music.

Introduced to the harmonica and blues by her uncle and captivated by gospel music from neighborhood churches and performances by artists like Cab Calloway, Jenkins developed a passion for diverse musical expressions early on.

Speaking of her early love for music to Smithsonian Mag in 2012, Jenkins said: “I’ve always liked music. Even when I was a child in our neighborhood, we sang and made up rhymes. It was very important to be able to carry a tune and to learn songs.”

“In the neighborhood I grew up in [in Chicago] there was the Regal Theater, which had live entertainment. There were singers and tap dancers — tap dancing really intrigued me. Pretty soon I asked my mother if I could go to one of the centers and learn how to tap dance,” she said, adding that she enjoyed listening to the popular singers of the day.

In the early 1950s, Jenkins started as a YWCA program director before dedicating herself fully to music for young audiences. Her 1957 debut album, Call-And-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing, released through Folkways Records, featured call-and-response chants from the United States and Africa, specially adapted for young children.

Throughout her career, Jenkins released 39 albums, including Multicultural Children’s Songs (1995), which remains the most popular release in the history of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. She performed across all seven continents, sharing and learning about various musical cultures.

Jenkins introduced children to diverse rhythms and languages through songs like “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song,” now preserved in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. Her approach exemplified a gentle, inclusive way to address subjects like self-worth and acceptance.

Her televised appearances, including on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Barney & Friends and Sesame Street extended her reach to millions of children and families. In 2004, Jenkins received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jenkins’s influence extended beyond her Grammy nominations and record-breaking sales; she inspired generations of educators, musicians, and families to embrace diversity through music. She passed away peacefully at the Harbors at The Admiral at the Lake, a senior facility in Chicago.

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NCT DREAM’s ‘DREAMSCAPE’: All 11 Songs Ranked

Earlier this year, NCT DREAM opened up to Billboard exclusively about how DREAM( )SCAPE — the group’s March EP that’s pronounced as “Dream Escape” — represented some of the darker, more mature topics the septet was eager to tackle in their music.

From pushing past anxiety, yearning for freedom, and turning hardship into encouragement, the EP included “the message that we’ve always wanted to deliver to our audiences,” leader Mark explained. Facing the dark side head-on ultimately paved the way for the just-released, euphoric full-length DREAMSCAPE.

NCT DREAM’s new LP invites listeners into an expansive soundscape that’s nostalgic, escapist, and emotionally charged. Taking the introspective narrative of DREAM( )SCAPE, these 11 songs embody a generally lighter, more peaceful musical world. Seamlessly melding pop, house music, hyper-pop, R&B, and throwback hip-hop, NCT DREAM uses DREAMSCAPE to explore themes of love, dreams and childlike wonder, giving fans fresh and familiar sounds that sound specifically catered to Mark, Jeno, Renjun, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung.

Joining DREAM’s previously released English single “Rains in Heaven” from August and the pre-released buzz track “Flying Kiss,” the album centers around the uplifting, vintage synthesizer–driven single “When I’m With You.” NCT DREAM will likely bring the new singles to life during their upcoming performances on the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and New York, alongside the likes of Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, Twenty-One Pilots, SZA, The Kid LAROI, Saweetie and more.

From the singles “Rains in Heaven,” “Flying Kiss,” and “When I’m With You” to the tracks written entirely by the members, as well as the soon-to-become-fan-favorite album cuts, here is our ranking of the 11 songs on NCT DREAM’s fourth full-length album, DREAMSCAPE.

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Noel Gallagher Has Created a Six-Hour Version of ‘Champagne Supernova’

It’s already famous as one of English rock veterans Oasis’ longest songs, but now founding member Noel Gallagher has far exceeded that record with the creation of a six-hour version of “Champagne Supernova”.

According to The Independent, Gallagher has created the new version of the enduring song as an ambient mixed track for a new exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery.

The Legends exhibition will open on Nov. 29 and run until Mar. 2, featuring more than 100 portraits of figures from the worlds of art, fashion, business, and entertainment taken by photographer Zoë Law.

Alongside images of England World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton, the exhibition will also feature images of actress Kim Cattrall, actor Orlando Bloon, and Gallagher himself. It also features a portrait of Sienna Miller who is seen holding the 1967 Epiphone guitar which Gallgher used during the writing of “Champagne Supernova”.

Originally released in 1995 as the closing track to Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? album, “Champagne Supernova” was issued as the record’s sixth and final single, ultimately spending five weeks atop the Alternative Airplay chart in April and May 1996.

News of the extended ambient version of the track is the latest in a year filled with Oasis headlines, largely thanks to the British group’s unexpected reunion earlier this year.

Announcing a series of 2025 shows across the U.K. which sold out instantly, the band revealed five tour dates across North America on Sept. 30, with shows planned for Chicago, New Jersey, and California in August and September 2025. “America. Oasis is coming,” the band said at the time. “You have one last chance to prove that you loved us all along.”

Despite the level of international excitement the reunion has inspired, Oasis’ upcoming tour dates have also made headlines for the wrong reasons, namely due to the usage of the controversial dynamic pricing practice.

Backlash from U.K fans was so intense that upon the announcement of their U.S tour dates, Oasis issued a statement noting the practice would not be used for their North American dates.

“It is widely accepted that dynamic pricing remains a useful tool to combat ticket touting and keep prices for a significant proportion of fans lower than the market rate and thus more affordable,” they said in a statement.

“But, when unprecedented ticket demand (where the entire tour could be sold many times over at the moment tickets go on sale) is combined with technology that cannot cope with that demand, it becomes less effective and can lead to an unacceptable experience for fans.”

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T-Pain Honored as Tallahassee Street Renamed T-Pain Lane

Florida musician T-Pain has well and truly put his hometown on the map, and now the city of Tallahassee have returned the favor.

In a ceremony held on Sunday (Nov. 10), Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey awarded T-Pain (whose stage name is derived from the phrase “Tallahassee Pain”) with both the Keys to the City, and cemented the musician’s status as one of the city favorite’s songs with a street dedication.

As part of the ceremony, Pasco Street – a portion of road which the Tallahassee Democrat notes he walked as a child from Nims Middle School to the Walker Ford Community Center – has officially been renamed T-Pain Lane.

“Today, I had the incredible honor of presenting @TPain with the Key to the City in recognition of his contributions to music and his ongoing commitment to this community,” Dailey wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “As a hometown hero, T-Pain has inspired countless fans and artists worldwide, and we’re proud to call him one of our own.

“To further celebrate his legacy, we named ‘T-Pain Lane’ in his honor. Thank you, T-Pain for making us #TallahasseeProud!”

Hours after the ceremony, T-Pain also took part in a performance at the Adderley Amphitheater for the Tallahassee bicentennial celebration, where he showcased tracks from his decades-long career.

“Everything that went on today was just a dream come true,” T-Pain told the gathered crowd.

Recently, T-Pain was also announced as one of the many performers set to appear at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Thursday, Nov. 28.

Appearing as part of the event’s 98th anniversary, the parade will also feature the likes of Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Chlöe and The War and Treaty as those performing this year, with the lineup also featuring Bishop Briggs, Kylie Cantrall, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Ariana Madix, Joey McIntyre, Idina Menzel, Natti Natasha, Rachel Platten, Lea Salonga, The Temptations, Alex Warren, Sebastián Yatra, Charli D’Amelio and Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia.

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Pitchfork Music Festival Will Not Return in 2025

After two decades spent as one of the most acclaimed music festivals in North America, the Pitchfork Music Festival will not be returning to Chicago in 2025, organizers have revealed.

The news was shared on both the festival’s website and social media accounts, explaining that, “as the music festival landscape continues to evolve rapidly, we have made the difficult decision not to host Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago in 2025”.

“This decision was not made lightly,” the statement continued. “For 19 years, Pitchfork Music Festival has been a celebration of music, art, and community—a space where memories were made, voices were amplified, and the shared love of music brought us all together. The Festival, while aligned with the taste of the Pitchfork editorial team, has always been a collaborative effort, taking on a life of its own as a vital pillar of the Chicago arts scene.

“We are deeply grateful to the City of Chicago for being our Festival’s home for nearly two decades, to the artists who graced our stages with unforgettable performances, and to the fans who brought unmatched energy year after year. Thank you to At Pluto and the rest of the hardworking Festival team whose dedication and creativity were the backbone of every event, and to the broader community whose spirit and support made the Festival a truly unique experience. And thank you to Mike Reed for founding the Festival and for your inspiring vision.”

“Pitchfork will continue to produce events in 2025 and beyond,” they concluded. “We look forward to continuing to create spaces where music, culture, and community intersect in uplifting ways—and we hope to see you there.”

The Pitchfork Music Festival has its origins in 2005’s Intonation Music Festival, which saw local promoters Skyline Chicago recruit Pitchfork Media to curate their inaugural event at Chicago’s Union Park. Though Intonation would return in 2006, Pitchfork Media split to create their own event under the Pitchfork Music Festival name.

Over the years, the festival has featured a raft of celebrated headliners, including Animal Collective, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Slint, Björk, Wilco, A Tribe Called Quest, the Isley Brothers, and more. Though their 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it returned in earnest in 2021, with this year’s event taking place in July and featuring Jamie xx, Alanis Morissette, and Black Pumas as headliners.

The festival also expanded outside of its Union Park home, holding international events in Paris between 2011 and 2022; in London from 2021 to 2023; Berlin in 2020 and 2022; and a lone event in Mexico City this year.

The news of Pitchfork Music Festival’s demise arrives months after Condé Nast announced in January that staff layoffs would take place as the website was absorbed by another Condé title, men’s magazine GQ. 

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