There was a little bit of drama as inductees began arriving and rehearsals started in Cleveland on Thursday (Oct. 17) for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony as word spread that two original members of Foreigner – including founder Mick Jones – will not be attending this weekend.

Jones, who founded Foreigner during 1976 in New York, is battling Parkinson’s disease, which will keep him away from the festivities.

Drummer Dennis Elliott posted a note to Facebook that he would also not be attending the event, where the band will be inducted after receiving its first nomination this year. Elliott – who was with the band from 1976-1993 – wrote, “Dear Foreigner Fans & Friends. Don’t look too hard, we will not be there. We were finally given the schedule last night, and it is not to our satisfaction. So we are staying home. We have been asking for weeks, and they have waited until the very last minute to send it knowing we were all packed and going to bed. Totally unacceptable to us. Hope you have a good time.”

Sources in Cleveland tell Billboard that one specific point of contention was that only band members were to walk the red carpet before the show, without their spouses.

The group did issue a statement via its social media saying, “FOREIGNER is greatly looking forward to Saturday’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The band will be joined by Demi Lovato, Sammy Hagar, and Kelly Clarkson in a set celebrating the induction of the guys who started it all almost fifty years ago. Original members Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood, and Rick Wills will be there to accept the awards on behalf of the band’s leader and founder Mick Jones, drummer Dennis Elliot, and Ian McDonald and Ed Gagliardi who are no longer with us.”

Members of the current Foreigner lineup are expected to perform during the ceremony on Saturday at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which will be streamed live on Disney+.

Fans responding to Elliott offered support, with one writing “this is very sad news” and another calling it a “travesty.”

Foreigner, eligible since 2002, was long considered one of the Rock Hall’s greatest slights over the years. The group has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, with hits such as “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Foreigner finished third in the fan vote, with 528,000.

Foreigner will be part of a class of 2024 that also includes Mary J. Blige, Cher, the Dave Matthews Band, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest in the performer category.

Ryan Murphy is a Swiftie.

The TV creator and writer recently cast Taylor Swift‘s NFL champion boyfriend Travis Kelce in his latest FX series, Grotesquerie, as the flirty but helpful hospital employee Ed “Eddie” Laclan. While chatting with The The Hollywood Reporter recently, Murphy revealed that he’s reached out to Swift’s team a number of times over the years to work together.

“I’ve talked to Taylor’s people about various things through the years, and all I will say is that I think she’s great and if she ever has time to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat,” he said. “I think she’s one of the greats.”

Murphy even made a subtle nod to Swift in episode three of Grotesquerie, in which Kelce and Niecy Nash-Betts’ characters hop into a red getaway car, in reference to Swift’s Red album and “Getaway Car” song.

Swift is no stranger to acting, having appeared in films like 2010’s Valentine’s Day, 2019’s Cats and 2022’s Amsterdam.

In Grotesquerie, which airs on Thursdays, “a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community,” per the description. “Detective Lois Tryon [Nash-Betts] feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone—or something—is taunting her. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan. However, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.”

Grotesquerie is the latest in Kelce’s growing list of entertainment gigs off the Kansas City Chiefs’ field.  Prime Video confirmed earlier this year that Kelce is slated to host its upcoming game show Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, a spin-off of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? The series will feature contestants using celebrities to help with 11 elementary-school-level questions as they compete to win $100,000.

Harry Styles is the latest One Direction member to share a heartbreaking message following the untimely death of Liam Payne at just 31 years old.

Alongside a photo of Payne sitting on a stage, singing to a massive arena crowd, Styles wrote via Instagram on Thursday (Oct. 17), “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.”

The message continued, “Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will him always, my lovely friend. My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did.”

See Styles’ post here.

The statement comes in addition to one from Louis Tomlinson, a post from Zayn and a joint message by the surviving members of One Direction, in which they wrote, “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”

Payne died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at around 5:07 p.m. local time after sustaining multiple injuries from a three-floor fall, a recent preliminary autopsy confirmed. Local authorities believe he was not sober at the time and found substances that appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks in his room after they arrived at the scene. In the moments leading up to the star’s death, a hotel manager called 911 to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room”; by the time police got there, Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died due to his injuries.

On Thursday (Oct. 17), Tencent Music Entertainment Group announced a strategic partnership with Galaxy Corporation, the agency representing the influential global musician G-Dragon, for his upcoming regional tour.

The collaboration marks a significant step forward in TME’s ambitions to expand its global presence and further solidify its position in the international music scene. As part of this agreement, TME will act as the proprietary tour partner for G-Dragon’s concerts across various markets, including most of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, TC Pan, group vice president of Tencent Music Entertainment, highlighted the importance of this partnership. “Collaborating with a renowned global musician like G-Dragon aligns perfectly with TME’s vision of connecting international audiences with exceptional music experiences. This partnership not only strengthens our presence in the global market, but also underscores our commitment to empowering music partners and artists to reach their full potential on the world stage.”

Yongho Choi, CEO of Galaxy Corporation, also shared his enthusiasm. “We are delighted to partner with Tencent Music Entertainment, a global entertainment-tech company listed on NYSE and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Building on this strategic partnership, we plan to integrate AI, AR, mixed reality, and robotics into entertainment to create a new kind of concert experience for global audiences.”

TME has been making efforts to broaden its international footprint through a range of initiatives like its Global Music Outreach program, which seeks to showcase Chinese music artists on international platforms and facilitate cross-border collaborations. It also operates the JOOX streaming service in Southeast Asia.

With this strategic partnership, TME aims to elevate G-Dragon’s overseas tour experience by expanding its reach and providing fans with new opportunities to connect with his music and brand, while reinforcing TME’s growing influence in the global music industry.

Zayn Malik is honoring his former One Direction bandmate and “brother,” Liam Payne, following the tragic news of his death at 31 years old.

The “Pillowtalk” singer took to Instagram on Thursday (Oct. 17) to share a photo of himself laying in Payne’s lap as the two then-teenagers take a nap. In the accompanying statement, he says he hopes Payne can “hear” him, as he’s been “talking out loud” to the late start over the past day. “I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” he continued. “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and I was loved.”

He added that while they “butted heads” on occasion, he “secretly respected” his opinions. “Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f—s about telling people when they were wrong,” he wrote. “When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional. I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next.”

Malik continued, “I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good are at peace [prayer hands emoji] And you know how loved you are.”

“Love you bro,” he ended his message, which you can read in full here.

Malik’s statement comes in addition to one from Louis Tomlinson and a joint message by the surviving members of One Direction, in which they noted that they are “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.” The group statement continued, “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”

Payne died around 5:07 p.m. local time after sustaining multiple traumas and hemorrhages from his fall, a recent preliminary autopsy confirmed. Local authorities believe he was not sober at the time and found substances that appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks in his room after they arrived at the scene. In the moments leading up to the star’s death, a hotel manager called 911 to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room”; by the time police got there, Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died due to his injuries.