In an effort to avoid “permanent, irrevocable damage” to her vocals, Allison Russell has called off her performance at this weekend’s Water Is Life Festival in Duluth, Minnesota, on doctor’s orders.

The Americana singer-songwriter, who released the solo album Outside Child last year and a re-imagining of the Our Native Daughters song “You’re Not Alone” with Brandi Carlile in August, was scheduled to appear at the music festival on Sunday (Sept. 4), sharing the lineup with acts including Ani DiFranco and the Indigo Girls.

“I am beyond devastated and sorry to tell you that I won’t be able to play my set at the @waterislifefestival in Duluth today,” Russell wrote on Instagram Sunday afternoon. “I have been struggling vocally on and off since March. At the urgent request of @brandicarlile’s (and many other brilliant singers) vocal coach extraordinaire @robertraab (who has generously been helping all of us on the road with Queen Brandi) I finally went to a specialist here in LA. I was scared to go because I felt that something was badly wrong and I was fearful of hearing it confirmed.”

“I have been put on vocal rest and rehabilitation by my new otolaryngologist, @drshawnnasseri,” she said. “Apparently I suffered a vocal hemorrhage approx 2 weeks ago and have vocal nodes that are inflamed and on the verge of hemorrhaging again.”

“Dr. Nasseri tells me that if I play back to back shows this weekend, I could do permanent, irrevocable damage. He gave me a steroid to get me through my set last night but wants me to be silent other than vocal rehab for the next week,” explained Russell, who was nominated for three Grammy awards at the 2022 ceremony, including best Americana album.

“It has been a particularly stressful, fraught, heartbreaking time in my world and I believe the unrelenting cortisol flood took its toll on my voice and body and spirit,” she added in her update to fans. “Dr. Nasseri told me that I’ve been running a marathon on a broken ankle and if I continue as I am, it will destroy my voice and be the end of my career. The pictures of my suffering damaged vocal cords were deeply upsetting and terrifying. I have a dangerously high threshold for pain, it has been such a constant companion in my life, it feels familiar and normal. I did not realize how badly I was hurting myself.”

“The good news is that with some vocal rest and physio under the guidance of voice whisperer Raab — I should make a full recovery,” said Russell.

The singer apologized to “the festival and everyone who works with me or cares about me” for her absence. “I will get better and do better everyday,” Russell said. “If you see me and I don’t speak, please understand that I’m just following the doctor’s orders! I will have my new trusty dry erase board at my side and write you loving notes until I get the all clear!”

See her full update below and keep up-to-date with her upcoming tour dates here.

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The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show starring Dr. DreSnoop DoggMary J. BligeEminemKendrick Lamar and 50 Cent (CBS) won for outstanding variety special (live) at the first night of the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday (Sept. 3). This marks the first time the Super Bowl halftime show has won an Emmy in this top category.

This year’s Super Bowl halftime show, a high-profile celebration of hip-hop music and culture, beat the Oscars, the Grammys, a Tony special dubbed Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back! and yet another Live in Front of a Studio Audience special.

All of this year’s principal halftime show performers are now Emmy winners. All of them except Snoop Dogg are also Grammy winners. In addition, Eminem is an Oscar winner – which means he just needs a Tony to EGOT.

Adam Blackstone, music director of the halftime show, won his first Emmy for outstanding Blackstone was previously nominated in this category as the music director of the halftime shows starring Justin Timberlake (2018) and Jennifer Lopez/Shakira (2020). Bruce Rodgers, Shelley Rodgers and Maria Garcia won for outstanding production design for a variety special for their work on this year’s halftime show.

Adele: One Night Only (CBS) won for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded). Adele was first nominated in the category six years ago for Adele: Live in New York City. Ben Winston and Raj Kapoor, two of the executive producers of her winning special, are also executive producers of the upcoming Grammy Awards, where Adele is expected to be a major player. Adele has won 15 Grammys and an Oscar, so she too now only needs a Tony to become an EGOT.

In a surprise, Paul Dugdale, the director of Adele: One Night Only won outstanding directing for a variety special over Hamish Hamilton, director of the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Adele’s special also won in three technical categories — outstanding sound mixing for a variety series or special, outstanding lighting design/lighting direction for a variety special and outstanding technical direction, camerawork, video control for a special.

The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+), directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson, won for outstanding documentary (series). The recipients included Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, who served as producers. This is the first Emmy for all four principals. The Beatles won seven Grammys (plus more to individual members) and an Oscar for Let It Be in 1970. Putting all of this together, McCartney and Starr also just a Tony to become full-fledged EGOTs.

Jackson also won a second award for outstanding directing for a documentary/nonfiction program for his work on the series. Jackson’s only previous Emmy was as a producer of Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago (Great Performances), which won a 2008 award for outstanding special class – not-exclusively-made-for-television variety, music, comedy event programs.

The Beatles: Get Back also won three technical awards — outstanding sound editing for a nonfiction or reality program (single or multi-camera); outstanding sound mixing for a nonfiction or reality program (single or multi-camera) and outstanding picture editing for a nonfiction program. Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin, shared the sound mixing award with Michael Hedges, Brent Burge, and Alexis Fedoroff. Jabez Olssen won the picture editing award.

Three previous programs on The Beatles have been nominated in top categories, though they didn’t win. The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years (Hulu) was nominated for outstanding documentary or non-fiction special (2017). The Beatles: The Night That Changed America (CBS) was nominated for outstanding variety special (2014). The Beatles Anthology (ABC) was nominated for best informational series (1996).

George Carlin’s American Dream was a surprise winner over Lucy and Desi for outstanding documentary or non-fiction special. Controlling Britney Spears (New York Times Presents) was also nominated.

RuPaul won outstanding host (reality or competition series) for RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) for the seventh year in a row. RuPaul has won a total of 12 Emmy Awards, more than any other person of color in TV history. Gianna Costa and Allison Spain won for outstanding production design for a variety, reality or competition series for their work on the show.

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls won in two technical categories — outstanding directing for a reality program (Nneka Onuorah) and outstanding picture editing for a structured reality or competition program (Deidre Panziera, Hannah Carpenter, Brian Murphy, and Jeanie Phillips).

Carpool Karaoke: The Series repeated its 2021 win for outstanding short form comedy, drama or variety series. The franchise has amassed nine Emmys since 2016.

Former president Barack Obama won his first Emmy as the narrator of Our Great National Parks. Obama is a two-time Grammy winner for best spoken word album for The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream and Dreams from My Father.

The late Chadwick Boseman posthumously won for outstanding character voice-over performance for the role of Star T’Challa on What If…? on Disney+.

Two of the seven music categories were presented on Saturday. David Schwartz won his first Emmy for his work on Lucy and Desi. (The other music award went to Adam Blackstone for the Super Bowl halftime show.)

The other five music categories will be presented on Sunday Sept. 4, the second night of the Creative Arts Emmys. An edited version of the two ceremonies will be broadcast on FXX on Sept. 10.

Here are the nominees, with winners checked, in key categories that were presented on Saturday.

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards • CBS • Fulwell 73 UK Limited; Raj Kapoor, Ben Winston and Jesse Collins, executive producers; Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, co-executive producer; Eric Cook, supervising producer; Hamish Hamilton, Tabitha D’umo, Fatima Robinson, David Wild, Patrick Menton, producers; Trevor Noah, host

Live In Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes • ABC • Sony Pictures Television, Act III Productions, Kimmelot, D’Arconville, Gary Sanchez Productions, Simpson Street; Norman Lear, Brent Miller, Jimmy Kimmel, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux, Kerry Washington, James Burrows, executive producers; Eric Cook, co-executive producer; James Dixon, producer

The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Will Packer and Shayla Cowan, produced by; Rob Paine, supervising producer

WINNER: The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent • NBC • Jesse Collins Entertainment, DPS and Roc Nation; Shawn Carter, Desiree Perez, Jesse Collins, executive producers; Dionne Harmon, Dave Meyers, co-executive producer; Aaron B. Cooke, supervising producer; Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, performers

The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back! • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment; Ricky Kirshner, Glenn Weiss, executive producers; Sarah Levine Hall, producer; Allen Kelman, supervising producer; Leslie Odom Jr., host

 

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

WINNER: Adele: One Night Only • CBS • Fulwell 73 UK Limited and Onward Productions in association with Harpo Productions; Ben Winston, Adele Adkins, Jonathan Dickins, Raj Kapoor, Tara Montgomery, Terry Wood, executive producers; Rob Paine, co-executive producer

Dave Chappelle: The Closer • Netflix • Netflix | Lathan TV | Pilot Boy; Dave Chappelle, executive producer/performer; Rikki Hughes, Stan Lathan, executive producers; Sina Sadighi, producer

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts • HBO/HBO Max • Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, Casey Patterson Entertainment and Pulse Films; Casey Patterson, Carol Donovan, Ashley Edens, Marissa Clifford, Louis Mole, Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis, David Heyman, executive producers; Rob Paine, co-executive producer; Chase Simonds, supervising producer; Mike Darnell, Brooke Karzen, Dan Sacks, producers

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special • Netflix • Irwin Entertainment for Netflix; Norm Macdonald, Lori Jo Hoekstra, Marc Gurvitz, John Irwin, executive producers; Casey Spira, co-executive producer

One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga • CBS • Alex Coletti Productions

Alex Coletti, Bruce Gillmer, Jack Sussman, Danny Bennett, Bobby Campbell, executive producers; Gillian Appleby, supervising producer; Allison Roithinger, produced by; Chris Vineyard, Jennifer Lebeau, producers; Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, hosts

 

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

The Andy Warhol Diaries • Netflix • Abstract Submarine for Netflix; Ryan Murphy, Executive Producer; Andrew Rossi, Josh Braun, Alexis Martin Woodall, Stanley Buchthal, executive producers; Daniel Braun, Stacey Reiss, co-executive producers; Maya E. Rudolph, producer

WINNER: The Beatles: Get Back • Disney+ • Apple Corps Limited and WingNut Films Productions Limited; Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison, producers; Peter Jackson, Clare Olssen, Jonathan Clyde, produced by

jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary / A TIME Studios Production in association with Creative Control and Leah Natasha Productions; Ian Orefice, Rebecca Teitel, Alexa Conway, Kevin Thomson, Connor Schell, Mike Beck, Gee Roberson, Free Maiden, executive producers; Coodie Simmons, Chike Ozah, Leah Natasha Thomas, produced by; Marjorie Clarke, producer

100 Foot Wave • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Topic Studios, Library Films, Amplify Pictures, React Films and Cinetic; Joe Lewis, Chris Smith, Maria Zuckerman, Ryan Heller, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, executive producers; Bentley Weiner, senior producer

We Need to Talk About Cosby • Showtime • SHOWTIME Documentary Films presents a Boardwalk Pictures production in association with WKB Industries W. Kamau Bell, Andrew Fried, Katie A King, Vinnie Malhotra, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma, Jordan Wynn, executive producers; Geraldine L. Porras, co-executive producer; Erik Adolphson, supervising producer

 

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

Controlling Britney Spears (New York Times Presents) • FX • The New York Times and Left/Right; Mary Robertson, Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, executive producers; Liz Day, supervising producer; Samantha Stark, Timothy Moran, producers

WINNER: George Carlin’s American Dream • HBO/HBO Max • HBO Documentary Films presents an Apatow/Rise Films Production in association with Pulse Films; Teddy Leifer, Judd Apatow, Michael Bonfiglio, Kelly Carlin, executive producers; Joseph Beshenkovsky, co-executive producer; Amanda Glaze, supervising producer; Wayne Federman, producer

Lucy And Desi • Prime Video • Amazon Studios, Imagine Documentaries, White Horse Pictures in association with Paper Kite Productions and Diamond Docs Michael Rosenberg, Justin Wilkes, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Nigel Sinclair, Amy Poehler,  Mark Monroe, produced by

The Tinder Swindler • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary / A Raw Production with Gaspin Media and AGC Studios in association with VG; Bart Layton, Sam Starbuck, Jeff Gaspin, Eric Levy, Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, executive producers; Bernadette Higgins, producer

We Feed People • Disney+ • National Geographic Documentary Films Presents an Imagine Documentaries Production; Carolyn Bernstein, executive producer; Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Meredith Kaulfers, Walter Matteson, produced by

 

Outstanding Music Direction

43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment; Rickey Minor, music director

44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment; Rickey Minor, Music Director

One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga • CBS • Alex Coletti Productions Michael Bearden and Lee Musiker, music directors

WINNER: The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar And 50 Cent • NBC • Jesse Collins Entertainment, DPS and Roc Nation; Adam Blackstone, music director

Saturday Night Live • Host: Jake Gyllenhaal • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann, music directors

 

Outstanding Music Composition for A Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary produced by Noah Media Group in association with Little Monster Films; Nainita Desai, composer

WINNER: Lucy and Desi • Prime Video • Amazon Studios, Imagine Documentaries, White Horse Pictures in association with Paper Kite Productions and Diamond Docs; David Schwartz, composer

Return to Space • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary / A Little Monster Films Production Mychael Danna and Harry Gregson-Williams, composers

They Call Me Magic • Earvin • Apple TV+ • New Slate Ventures / XTR / H.Wood Media / Delirio Films in association with Apple; Terence Blanchard, composer

The Tinder Swindler • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary / A Raw Production with Gaspin Media and AGC Studios in association with VG; Jessica Jones, composer

 

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special

WINNER: Adele: One Night Only • CBS • Fulwell 73 UK Limited and Onward Productions in association with Harpo Productions; Paul Dugdale, directed by

Dave Chappelle: The Closer • Netflix • Netflix | Lathan TV | Pilot Boy; Stan Lathan, directed by

Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rotten Science, Bo Burnham, directed by

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special • Netflix • Irwin Entertainment for Netflix; Norm Macdonald, Jeff Tomsic, directed by

The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent • NBC • Jesse Collins Entertainment, DPS and Roc Nation; Hamish Hamilton, directed by

 

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

WINNER: A Black Lady Sketch Show • “Save My Edges, I’m A Donor!” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with For Better or Words, Inc., Hoorae, 3 Arts Entertainment and Jax Media; Bridget Stokes, directed by

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver • “Union Busting” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Sixteen String Jack Productions and Avalon Television; Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner, directed by

Late Night With Seth Meyers • “Episode 1252” • NBC • Universal Television and Broadway Video; Alexander J. Vietmeier, directed by

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert • Artistic Musical Performance By Chance The Rapper; Monologue: Ukraine & Russian War, January 6 Committee Evidence On Trump & Donald Jr.; Guest Beanie Feldstein • CBS • CBS Studios; Jim Hoskinson, directed by

Saturday Night Live • Host: Billie Eilish • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Don Roy King, Liz Patrick, directed by

 

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program

Queer Eye • Netflix • Scout Productions Inc. and ITV Entertainment LLC for Netflix; Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, hosts

Nailed It! • Netflix • Magical Elves for Netflix;  Nicole Byer, host

Shark Tank • ABC • MGM Television in association with Sony Pictures Television; Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, hosts

Top Chef • Bravo • Magical Elves; Padma Lakshmi, host

Making It • NBC • Universal Television Alternative Studio in association with Paper Kite Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment; Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, hosts

WINNER: RuPaul’s Drag Race • VH1 • World of Wonder; RuPaul, host

The all-star Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert went on for more than five hours Saturday (Sept. 3), closing the night out with an emotional, enthralling Foo Fighters set at London’s Wembley Stadium.

The show was a special tribute to the late drummer, with an impressive number of special guests throughout the evening. The Foo Fighters’ headlining moment featured many of the band’s greatest hits, assisted by friends and family on the drums in Taylor Hawkins’ place.

Dave Grohl told the crowd that they’d see a “revolving door of drummers” honoring Hawkins on stage with them and noted (to cheers all around), “When it comes to Taylor Hawkins, you gotta celebrate the drummers, right?”

Josh Freese joined the group on “Times Like These” and “All My Life,” while Travis Barker — who Grohl recalled was in a band but also “a f—ing garbage man in Taylor’s neighborhood” when the two first met — commanded the stage for “The Pretender” and “Monkey Wrench.”

Next up was someone that Grohl described as “one of the most bada– drummers I’ve ever met in my entire life” and “the biggest rock star on the bill”: young drummer Nandi Bushell, who joined the Foo Fighters on “Learn to Fly”. “This fine young drummer challenged me to a drum battle … at first I thought she was kidding. She was not,” he said. “I engaged in a drum battle and she proceeded to kick my a– in front of the entire f—ing world.”

Rufus Taylor took the drums for “These Days” and “Best of You.” Grohl said, “We’ve known him since he was a little kid because his father’s band [Queen] is Taylor’s favorite band, and his father was I think Taylor’s favorite singer.”

Before the Foo Fighters continued with their own best-of set, Grohl — teasing, “We got another little surprise for you” — let a couple other superstars take the spotlight: Paul McCartney and Chrissie Hynde, who united for an unexpected duet of the Beatles‘ “Oh! Darling,” trading off vocals on the verses, before McCartney segued into “Helter Skelter.” McCartney revealed he’d never done “Oh! Darling” as a duet before Saturday night, and really hadn’t performed the song “since we recorded it 100 years ago.” “God bless Taylor,” he said.

Omar Hakim had assisted McCartney on drums, and he remained on stage as the Foo Fighters launched back into their own hits. Of “Aurora,” Grohl said, “I think this next song was Taylor’s favorite Foo Fighters song.”

A touching highlight of the night came next. “Let me tell you,” said Grohl, introducing a very special drummer to the crowd. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone hit the drums as hard as this person … He’s a member of our family, and he needs to be here tonight with all of us.” A photo of Hawkins with his son Shane was shown on a big screen, and the teen joined the group on drums for a moving “My Hero.”

“I hope that you guys felt all the love from all of us and all of the performers because we felt it from you, for Taylor, tonight,” Grohl said as the night came to an end. “I don’t really know what else to say.”

“This one’s for Taylor,” he said, concluding a great night of music with “Everlong.”

“Let’s hear it big and loud for Taylor f—ing Hawkins right now,” said Grohl.

Watch the full show below.

Among the many special moments at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert Saturday night (Sept. 3) was Paul McCartney and Chrissie Hynde‘s unexpected duet of the Beatles‘ “Oh! Darling.”

The Abbey Road ballad hadn’t been “done since we recorded it 100 years ago,” McCartney pointed out to the crowd at London’s Wembley Stadium. He stepped onstage with Hynde amid the Foo Fighters‘ headlining set at the nearly six-hour event of music celebrating the life of the late Hawkins.

“I’ve never done is as a duet,” McCartney said. “But we’re gonna do it tonight for the first time, for you.”

With Omar Hakim on the drums behind the pair, and McCartney on guitar, the two singers traded off vocals on “Oh! Darling.”

“God bless Taylor,” said McCartney — who went on to also bring 1968’s “Helter Skelter” to the stage before the Foo Fighters continued on with their own hits, with assistance from a “revolving door of drummers” that included Josh Freese, Nandi Bushell, Rufus Taylor and Hawkins’ son, Shane.

Hynde had also appeared on the bill earlier in the night, with the Pretenders featuring Dave Grohl on bass.

“Oh! Darling” was recorded and released in 1969, though it was never a Beatles single in the U.S. It did become a single for Robin Gibb in 1978, when it was featured on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band soundtrack.

Watch “Oh! Darling” performed by McCartney and Hynde at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert below.

Why did Yungblud title his third studio album after himself? Because it’s “about me,” the English rocker says.

Released Friday (Sept. 2) through LOCOMOTION/Geffen Records, Yungblud is the follow-up to 2020’s Weird! and includes singles “The Funeral,” “Memories” (featuring Willow), and “Don’t Feel Like Feeling Sad Today.”

The artist, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, tells Billboard News‘ Tetris Kelly that his latest album “was an exercise for me at finding friends and people like me,” noting that he has experienced feelings isolation and loneliness in the past. “I literally looked into an iPhone and went, ‘Hello is there anyone out there like me?’”

Yungblud says he sees himself more as a communicator than a musician. “To be honest, I don’t even really see myself as a musician first, which is such a mental thing to say,” he notes. “I see myself as a communicator. This album is called Yungblud because I think it is about me.”

During his sit-down with Billboard News, Yungblud also discussed meeting The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, who recently gave him a shout-out as a rock act who “makes me think there is still a bit of life in rock and roll” during an interview Swedish radio station P4.

“Mick Jagger is everything to me, as a frontman, as an activist, as a rock star, as a sex icon,” he says, recalling a meeting with the legendary rocker. “When you’re meeting a rock ‘n’ roll star, you can’t be like, ‘Oh, my God!’ I did a shot of whiskey, walked in — alright Mick how are you? In my head, I was like ‘What the f—?’”

Yungblud also shared his thoughts on the state of rock music. “Rock ‘n’ roll is about energy,” he says. “It’s not about a drum kit, it’s not about guitar, it’s not about anything other than freedom and energy, because energy doesn’t lie. Freedom to express, freedom to be yourself, freedom to not conform.”

Watch Yungblud’s full interview above.

A federal judge on Friday (Sept. 2) sided with Nirvana and dismissed a child pornography lawsuit filed by the man who appeared as a nude baby on the cover of the band’s 1991 album Nevermind, ruling that the case was filed years too late.

Spencer Elden, now in his 30s, claimed the album violated federal child pornography laws by displaying a sexualized image of a minor. But Judge Fernando M. Olguin ruled that the case was filed well past the statute of limitations for such cases.

Federal child pornography laws have a 10-year time limit that starts from when a victim “reasonably discovers” either the crime or the injury caused by it. Under either time limit, Judge Olguin said Elden had clearly filed his case too late.

“Because it is undisputed that plaintiff did not file his complaint within ten years after he discovered a violation that could form the basis for his [child pornography] claim, the court concludes that his claim is untimely,” the judge wrote.

Originally released Sept. 24, 1991, Nevermind reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 in January 1992 and ultimately spent 554 weeks on the chart. The album has sold more than 30 million copies and is widely considered one of the most influential in the history of popular music.

The album’s cover — a nude infant swimming in a pool chasing after a dollar attached to a fishhook — had long been interpreted as an edgy critique of greed and capitalism. But in a lawsuit filed last summer, Elden claimed it was something else entirely: the kind of “lascivious” display of a minor’s genitals that’s prohibited under federal child pornography statutes.

“Spencer’s true identity and legal name are forever tied to the commercial sexual exploitation he experienced as a minor which has been distributed and sold worldwide from the time he was a baby to the present day,” he wrote at the time.

In addition to Nirvana’s corporate entity, the lawsuit also named Kurt Cobain’s estate, Universal Music Group, Dave Grohl and a number of other companies and individuals.

Nirvana sharply disputed that the image amounted to child pornography, but argued first that the case should be dismissed for a simpler reason: the statute of limitations. They cited the fact that Elden had seemingly endorsed his role in rock history on a number of occasions prior to 2011 – the cutoff year for the 10-year statute of limitations.

“Long before 2011, as Elden has pled, Elden knew about the photograph, and knew that he (and not someone else) was the baby in the photograph,” the band wrote in its motion to dismiss the case. “He has been fully aware of the facts of both the supposed ‘violation’ and ‘injury’ for decades.”

On Friday, Judge Olguin embraced that argument, saying it had been well more than 10 years since Elden discovered either the violation – the image itself – or the injury caused by it.

“Plaintiff does not dispute that he knew of injuries arising from defendants’ activities related to their use of his image on the Nevermind album cover more than ten years before he filed this action,” the judge wrote.

Elden’s attorneys can appeal the ruling if they choose to. They did not immediately return requests for comment on Saturday.

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