Both Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles are creatives in every sense of the word. They are deeply passionate about their music and acting careers — with Grammy-winning Nettles balancing her solo and Sugarland music success with leading roles on Broadway’s Chicago and Waitress, as well as starring in films including Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. Meanwhile, Golden Globe and SAG Award-winner Bacon has starred in classic films including Footloose, Taking Chance and many more, all while releasing 12 albums via his band, The Bacon Brothers, alongside his sibling Michael.

That’s why, when the opportunity came for the duo to blend their talents, they were immediately on board. Bacon and Nettles star in the Grainger David-helmed Prime Video series, The Bondsman, which follows the story of murdered bounty hunter Hub Halloran (Bacon), who is resurrected by the devil to send back demons who escaped from the prison of Hell. Nettles stars as Hub’s musician ex-wife.

Together, the two teamed up for The Bondsman: Hell And Back, a collection of eight songs written from
the point of view of their characters, with several of the tracks appearing on the show. “Long before I ever did something like this, I’ve made playlists for my roles. I’ll say to the writer or the director, ‘Do you have songs that you think my character would like?’” Bacon recalls. “But this situation is something that I don’t do really that much. Yes, I love to write songs and, yes, I’m an actor, but I’ve always had a certain purity about both of them. I didn’t want to somehow shoehorn some music into a movie, you know, on the off-chance that I would get to play in it.”

However, The Bondsman felt different, given that Bacon loved the story and Halloran was also a musician in his life. As a seasoned actor and musician, the challenge of writing the songs from the bounty hunter’s perspective, instead of his own, allowed him to create a deeper bond with his role. “It’s really interesting form of songwriting, because I tend to write from my point of view,” Bacon says. “Even if I’m writing off of a hook, it’s probably going to be related to my experience and my feelings around things. Whereas, in this case, I’m writing as the character. And now, you’re going, OK, who was Hub Halloran when he first met this woman that he’s in love with? Or when they were breaking up? What was his point of view, not only about the world or about love or about her, but also musically? What was the kind of country music that he liked and didn’t like?”

Nettles agrees, adding that the “storytelling” aspect of making the music alongside filming the TV show was something she particularly enjoyed. “Whenever I’m writing a song, it’s both story building and character building. You take on a persona in those times,” she explains. “In that way, it wasn’t anything new or different [to my usual songwriting style]. What was new and different, is getting to do it specifically for this world and for television. This specific character, and this specific world where demons are concerned and all the supernatural and horror — that made it really, really fun.”

Nettles also revealed that the show’s “authentic” portrayal of the South drew her to the role, and her immediate bond with Bacon allowed the music to “flow easily.” And, of course, working with superstar actor in general was a plus. “Working with someone with that level of talent, that icon status, was super thrilling,” she says.

“I just love the performing arts so much, and I love music so much and I love getting to tell stories, and to be able to do this in this show is so fun and campy,” she concludes. “It checks so many boxes.”

The Bondsman is available to watch on Prime Video here, and the corresponding Hell and Back album can be enjoyed on Amazon Music here.

Dave Allen, who played bass guitar during influential British post-punk band Gang of Four’s early years — and who went on to found the group Shriekback — has died. He was 69.

Allen’s former Gang of Four bandmate Hugo Burnham shared the news of his passing on Sunday (April 6).

“It is with broken yet full hearts that we share the news that Dave Allen, our old music partner, friend, and brilliant musician, died on Saturday morning,” Burnham wrote on Gang of Four’s Instagram, where the band featured several photos in a tribute to Allen. “He was at home with his family.”

“Dave had endured the early-onset of mixed dementia for some years which has been a heartbreaking time for his wife Paddy, his children, and close friends. Our love and thoughts are with them,” he stated.

The note continued: “Jon and I [Hugo] went to see him and spent a lovely afternoon with him and the family. We talked and laughed for hours, sharing rich and vivid memories of good times together. Adventures, careers in music, raising families, our interwoven lives spanning half a century. We’ve been so very lucky to have had the Ace of Bass in our lives. We know that Dave would have wanted nothing more than to step onstage with us again in Portland on our farewell US tour. But it’s now a bridge too far. Goodbye, Old Friend.”

After joining Gang of Four with Burnham, Jon King and Andy Gill in Leeds in 1976, Allen made his mark as bassist on the band’s debut album, 1979’s Entertainment!, and their follow-up set, 1981’s Solid Gold. While neither were chart successes in the U.S., Gang of Four’s early work influenced the likes of Michael Stipe, Flea and Kurt Cobain, who included Entertainment! on his top 50 albums list (as published in the posthumous Journals).

In 1981, Allen formed Shriekback with Barry Andrews (XTC, The League of Gentlemen), and went on to record a number of albums with the group.

Allen rejoined Gang of Four for a reunion with the core lineup in the mid-’00s. He also performed with bands including The Elastic Purejoy and Low Pop Suicide.

Gang of Four bandmate Gill, the group’s founding guitarist, died in 2020.

Allen’s experience in the music industry went beyond the recording studio and stage. Most recently he co-founded and served as director of music relations at DinWorkshop, a consultancy, design studio and lab built to create alongside musicians.

Previously he held positions in artist relations and artist advocacy at Apple Music and Beats Music, was business development director in consumer digital audio services at Intel, and in the late ’90s was general manager at eMusic. Allen was a speaker and panelist on digital strategy, music and technology at SXSW, CMJ, SF Music Tech and more throughout his career.

Jack Black reimagined a classic My Chemical Romance track in a hilarious sketch on Saturday Night Live.

While hosting the iconic sketch comedy show on April 5, the actor and comedian channeled MCR frontman Gerard Way by performing a reggae parody of the band’s 2006 hit “Welcome to the Black Parade.”

The nearly three-minute sketch, titled “Goth Kid on Vacation,” features SNL cast members Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim as members of a Jamaican reggae band who cope with their own pain by laughing at goth kids vacationing on their island.

“When there is war and struggle and pain/ How do we fill our souls with joy again?” the duo sings before adding, “We look and we laugh at goth kid on vacation.”

The camera then cuts to a stereotypical goth teenager (played by Michael Longfellow) dressed in all black with a classic emo hairstyle. He’s shown playing Magic: The Gathering from his hotel balcony, walking the beach in a heavy black leather jacket and combat boots, and belting in frustration after getting hit with a beach ball while painting his nails black.

Halfway through the pre-recorded skit, a long-haired Black joins the scene with a backing band, adding a reggae twist and reimagining the lyrics to My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” which reached reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2007.

“When I was a young boy, my parents took me down to Jamaica for my high school spring break,” Black sings, wearing an outfit reminiscent of Way’s goth-inspired look from the music video. “They said come to the pool, but I stayed in the room with my graphic novels so I could mastur—-.”

Saturday’s episode also featured musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile, who performed a pair of songs from their new collaborative album, Who Believes in Angels? Check out their performances of “Little Richard’s Bible” and the project’s title track here.

Watch SNL‘s “God Kid on Vacation” sketch below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

Ed Sheeran and Weezer were two previously unannounced acts spotted on the 2025 Coachella lineup when set times for the this year’s festival were posted on Saturday (April 5). They’ll each pop in for a one-day, daytime set.

Weezer will play the Mojave tent on Saturday afternoon (3:10-3:55 p.m.) on April 12, during the festival’s first weekend.

Sheeran takes a Saturday afternoon (3-4 p.m.) Mojave time slot on April 19, during weekend two. Both acts perform just before Yo Gabba Gabba!’s 4:45 p.m. set at the same stage.

Their addition to to the Coachella bill arrives ahead of several upcoming festival dates for Weezer, who’ve been celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1994 self-titled debut, known as The Blue Album. Sheeran also has a summer full of shows scheduled, and a just-released single, “Azizam,” from his upcoming album Play; “Azizam” means “my dear” in Farsi, and was inspired by producer Illya Salmanzadeh’s Persian heritage.

The lineup update comes just after FKA Twigs dropped out of the fest due to “ongoing visa issues.” Anitta also had to cancel her Coachella performance, citing “unexpected personal reasons.”

Lady Gaga, Green Day, Travis Scott and Post Malone are headlining the main Coachella stage at the Indio, California, festival taking place over the next two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20. Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion and Missy Elliott are also among the all-star music lineup.

See the full schedule of set times by scrolling through the Instagram slides below, or get all the details directly on Coachella’s website.

Deshonne Redeaux just made his college commitment official — and he did it with the kind of hometown love story only Los Angeles can write.

The four-star running back from Carson, California, known for his speed, field vision and unshakable confidence, announced his commitment to the University of Southern California in a full-circle moment that brought two L.A. icons into the spotlight: Snoop Dogg and JuJu Watkins.

“It means a lot to have Snoop Dogg support me at one of my biggest moments,” Redeaux tells Billboard. “I played in his Snoop Youth Football League, and it pathed the way for me to reach my goal of getting a Division 1 college scholarship.”

Also featured in the announcement video (seen in the Instagram post above) was JuJu Watkins, USC’s breakout basketball star and a longtime friend. “JuJu supporting me at this time means so much to me because we grew up together and she has inspired me watching her make history in the city that raised her,” he says. “Can’t wait to share a campus with her, impact the community, and bring national championships back to the city!”

Redeaux says staying home and playing for USC was about more than football. “I choose USC because nothing is more powerful than impacting the hometown community and being the light in my own backyard,” he says. “Some of the determining factors were the amazing USC tradition and legacy — specifically at the running back position — and being a difference maker to bring the winning culture back to USC football and to the city of Los Angeles.”

To mark the occasion, Redeaux shared his ultimate game day hype playlist exclusively with Billboard, highlighting the music that keeps him focused and fired up before he hits the field.

“Drake featuring Rick Ross, ‘Lord Knows’ — the message behind the song is all about motivation and reflection,” he says. “And with the Lord’s guidance, you can accomplish anything. It really gets me in my mode!”

When it’s tunnel time, he turns to NBA YoungBoy’s “Head Blown.” “It puts me into dog mentality to be a lock in the field,” he says.

Other key tracks include J. Cole’s “Love Yourz,” Ginuwine’s “Same Ol G” and Nipsey Hussle’s “Dedication.”

“I’m most excited about strapping it up for the first time at the Coliseum — that will be a dream come true,” he says. “I want to give back to the youth and always show up for the next generation.”

Check out Deshonne Redeaux’s full Game Day Hype Playlist below, featuring Playboi Carti, EBK Jayboo, SWV, Lil Durk, Icewear Vezzo, BlueBucksClan and more.