As the halo of good cheer and warm feelings has just barely begun to fade following the conclusion of Oasistriumphant 2025 global reunion tour, singer Liam Gallagher has hit fans with the worst possible news: the sequel is much further in the distance than they anticipated.

Despite months of rumors, hopeful manifestation and just plain pleading for another round of dates in 2026, Gallagher seemed to shut the door on all that talk over the weekend when he responded to a plea from a supporter to “announce the 2026 dates mate.”

And then, with with a seven-word dagger to the hearts of the Bucket Hat Nation, Gallagher responded, “we’re not doing anything in 2026 mate.” Gallagher also threw cold water on persistent whispers that the band was preparing to stage a long-awaited return to the site of one of their biggest shows ever at Knebworth in their native England. When an Oasis fan group posted that the current odds are “1/2 with William Hill to play at Knebworth next year,” the singer was clear: “ITS NOT HAPPENING.”

Specifically, answering another fan who plainly asked “Knebworth next year? your so ignorant never answer me,” soccer-mad Liam retorted, “Nothing going on next year except the WC [World Cup].” Adding insult to injury, Gallagher responded to the question, “brother dont you have s–t to do today,” with the plainspoken retort, “I don’t snizzle to do until 2027, I mean happy Christmas.”

The apparent 2026 hiatus comes after the once battling Gallagher brothers ended their 16-year hiatus with 41 sold-out shows on five continents this year. The gigs, which were rapturously received by diehards who never thought they’d see Liam and older brother songwriter/guitarist Noel on stage together again after their bitter 2009 split, appeared to be the first salvo in what was possibly a full-bore return to regular touring.

At press time a spokesperson for the group had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Gallagher’s latest comments.

Though they never officially announced any further shows, Liam has appeared to hint that their work is not done yet in a series of tweets last month, in which he wrote  “I know things you don’t” on X, following an earlier tease that “it’s not even half time yet.” After admitting that there were a “few tuts and raised eyebrows” when he’d earlier teased that he’d see fans again next year, Liam offered a succinct one-word answer on a potential 2026 tour: “No,” he wrote.

Then, the group seemed to definitively close the door on any speculation about 2026 dates when they posted some highlight pics from the tour with the message, “there will now be a pause for a period of reflection.” In keeping with his one step forward, three steps back approach, though, Liam soon pried the door open a crack once again in response to further fan questions about when they will play again and if they will mix up their rigid set list next time around.

“There’s loads more classics we need to play for you when we go out again I mean happy Christmas,” Gallagher said.

So for now, bask in the glory, hold on to those memories (if you were there) and wait for the upcoming, as-yet-unscheduled, live film documenting the tour produced by Oscar-nominated writer/producer/director Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) and directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace (Meet Me in the Bathroom).


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Gene Simmons has offered a mea culpa for his hurtful theory on what caused the death of his beloved late KISS bandmate guitarist Ace Frehley. “On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used,” Simmons tweeted early Wednesday morning (Dec. 10). “I humbly apologize.”

The rare retraction from the bassist/singer known for his bombastic, no-filter statements came after Simmons, 76, ruffled some feathers by claiming that “bad decisions” caused Frehley’s death at 74 in October. “He refused [advice] from people that cared about him – including yours truly – to try to change his lifestyle. In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs — I’m not a doctor — doesn’t kill you. There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart,” Simmons reportedly told The New York Post following Frehley’s death, which was attributed to injuries suffered during a fall the month prior.

At the time, Simmons appeared to suggest that Frehley’s death was possibly tied to the guitarist’s long struggle with alcoholism, despite Ace reportedly being sober for more than 20 years before his death. “The saddest thing — you reap what you shall sow unfortunately,” Simmons said at the time.

But, upon reflection, and following some backlash from fans at what they deemed an unkind final gesture from the teetotaling bassist, Simmons respectfully walked back his earlier statements. “My hand to God I didn’t intend to hurt Ace or his legacy but upon rereading my words, I see how it hurt everyone,” Simmons wrote. “Again, I apologize. I’ve always loved Ace. Always.”

At the time of his death, Frehley’s family issued a statement that read: “We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. … Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band also remembered their founding guitarist, who they called the “essential and irreplaceable rock solider,” adding, “We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”

Simmons issued his own personal post on X as well, writing, “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”; KISS were honored at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors over the weekend.

Frehley co-founded KISS with Simmons, singer/guitarist Paul Stanley and drummer Peter Criss, performing with the band from 1973-1982, before leaving for more than a decade, then returning in 1996 for a reunion tour through 2002.

See Simmons’ apology below.


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Tileyard Education has announced the return of its Music Business Summer Camp, created in association with Billboard U.K.

The virtual course is set to run across four Saturday sessions starting June 6, 2026, and concluding later that month on June 27. The monthlong programme is designed for emerging artists and aspiring industry professionals looking to gain a practical understanding of how the modern music business operates.

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The online course will take place from 12 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. BST each Saturday, including a 45-minute lunch break. Fees are set at £750 ($999). Participants under 18 will not be eligible to take part, and registrations may be cancelled with a refund if age requirements are not met.

Tileyard Education operates out of Tileyard London, the world’s largest independent music community, home to more than 150 recording studios and over 200 creative businesses. The campus brings together artists and companies across the global music ecosystem, including Focusrite, SoundCloud, Ableton, Noel Gallagher, The Prodigy and Sigala, fostering collaboration across recording, production, publishing and creative development.

The summer camp’s partnership with Billboard U.K. brings together Tileyard’s education arm with one of the most influential voices in global music culture. Billboard’s charts and editorial coverage continue to serve as a key reference point for artists, fans and industry professionals worldwide, spanning executives, promoters, publishers, radio programmers, legal teams and digital platforms.

According to Tileyard Education, the programme will offer hands-on training and real-world insight delivered by leading experts from across the international music industry, with lecturers set to be announced at a later date. The curriculum is aimed at providing participants with a deeper, working knowledge of the business, from foundational principles to practical application.

Former participants of the programme have highlighted its emphasis on industry access and real-world learning. Past attendee Chloe Gamble described the experience as “a truly great experience,” pointing to the opportunity to learn directly from professionals and build connections within the Tileyard community. Jake Lane, meanwhile, shared that knowledge gained during the course helped him apply legal fundamentals in real-life work, including creating contracts and onboarding clients.

Tasmanian fans of Foo Fighters are proof that absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

As previously reported, the American rock legends will play one night only at Launceston’s UTAS Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, for their first live show in the Apple Isle since 2015.

What’s more, that show will mark the Foos’ first-ever performance in the island state’s second city, a spot with fewer than 100,000 residents.

The general on-sale began today, and the entire allocation sold out in “record time,” notes Frontier Touring, which is producing the show. According to the concerts specialist, fans from around the country snapped up tickets. And in heartbreak for fans, no additional shows have been announced.

“We have a very special relationship with Tasmania – as we do with all of Australia,” comments frontman Dave Grohl in a statement. “We have these little meetings where the band sits around at the studio with our team, and we think of fun stuff to do… We looked at the calendar and thought, ‘Let’s pop down for a gig’. We’ve been doing these sneaky surprise shows here in the States, having so much fun.”

Playing surprise shows in the United States is not the same as dropping by the bottom of the world.

“To come down and have a special night is amazing,” explains Grohl, “even though we’re literally flying down for 48 hours… we’ll go onstage and blast it out for three hours, then come home. I’ve always loved Australia so much, we’ve been coming down a long time and it’s always felt like home.”

It’s not the first time the Foos have taken the journey for a single, regional date. The 15-time Grammy Award winners performed in 2022 at GMHBA Stadium (Kardinia Park) in Geelong, a satellite city of Melbourne, to help refuel a touring industry crippled by the lockdown.

Making the trip on this occasion will be Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, Rami Jaffee and Ilan Rubin.

To date, Foo Fighters have made 14 visits to Australia, most recently in late 2023 for a national stadium run in support of their eleventh studio album, But Here We Are.

On the recorded music side, they’ve shifted over 1.8 million records in Australia, with nine No. 1 albums.

Support on the night will be rising Brisbane rock band Full Flower Moon Band, and Launceston psych-rock trio Spooky Eyes.

Christmas is a time for giving, and sharing. But one unexpected gift from Gwen Stefani, some critics say, should come with a “return to sender” tag.

The No Doubt singer is partnering with prayer app Hallow, a move that blindsided many of her decades-long fans.

In a sponsored post earlier this month, Stefani promoted the service which is said to enable its users to get closer to God, for a monthly or yearly payment plan.

“It is important this holiday season to spend time in prayer. That is what Christmas is all about: letting God into our hearts and letting Jesus bring us his peace,” says Stefani, dressed in all-white and wearing a crucifix. “Download Hallow and join me and millions of others in praying every day this advent and Christmas season on Hallow.”

Stefani captioned the “paid partnership” post with the comment, “The season of Advent has always been a reminder to slow down, even when everything around us is moving so fast. It’s such a special time to reflect, pray and make room in your heart for Jesus.”

Since launching the promotion Dec. 2 on Instagram, Stefani’s post has captured more than 19,000 likes, and almost 2,000 comments.

Many are critical, none more so than “A Bit Fruity” podcast host Matt Bernstein, who pointed out that Hallow costs $70 per year, includes prayers and meditations that carry anti-abortion messages, and has connections with Vice President JD Vance and conservative venture capitalist Peter Thiel.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” says Bernstein, “aka when Gwen Stefani shills for the right-wing anti-abortion pay-to-pray app, Hallow.”

Describing the service as a “pay to pray” app, Berstein says its creators have gone and recruited “everyone’s favorite Hollaback Girl. More like Hallow App Girl.”

Berstein sounds off, “if you’re looking for God this season, you don’t need to give these people $70 to find him. And Gwen Stefani, don’t you have enough goddamn money already?”

Their post has accumulated almost 280,000 likes and 6,000 comments, including one from Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause, who wrote in the comments section: “Gwen-DON’T SPEAK, a reference to No Doubt’s 1996 hit. “Please take your own advice on this one.”

The timing of Stefani’s collaboration could prove to awkward. Stefani and No Doubt are reuniting for a residency next year at the MSG-owned Sphere in Las Vegas, As previously reported, an initial stretch of 12 shows were booked — and swiftly sold-out — for May 2026.  Another six have been added for next June, which are billed as “final” dates of the residency.

With Mayhem, Lady Gaga is six albums deep in a glittering solo career. There’s a whole lot more to come.

Gaga is currently on a drought-breaking visit to Australia with the MAYHEM Ball World Tour, her first in these parts for more than a decade.

When the U.S. pop superstar stopped by Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday night, Dec. 9, she made her apologies for the long wait. And made a special promise.

“So,” she remarked during her set, “for those of you who have been in my life, for 20 years almost, what I want to know is, I intend to make lots more music and lots more albums. In 20 years from now, will you come back?”

The answer from the 52,000-odd little monsters in the stadium, was a resounding yes.

After performing “Die With A Smile,” Gaga vowed, “I won’t leave it for 11 years next time.” Things, however, got in the way. “I wanted to,” she explained. “It means so much to be back here. Looking out into the audience, we’re all grown up.”

Gaga’s last jaunt down under was for 2014’s ArtRave: The ARTPOP Ball, when she played arenas.

“What I like about this is it won’t just be, like, me and some of you. It will be, I think, I hope, a lot of you that are here,” she continued. “So much of this show is about community, but I can’t do it by myself. The real show is in the audience, and I know you know that.”

The long wait hasn’t hurt Gaga’s relationship with her Aussie fans. Following its release in March, Mayhem powered to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, her fifth leader here and 13th title to crash the top 50. Previously, Gaga logged three weeks at No. 1 in 2010 with The Fame Monster, two weeks in 2011 with Born This Way, 11 weeks in 2019-20 with the A Star Is Born soundtrack, and two weeks in 2021 with Chromatica.

Gaga endeared herself early to the sold-out Brisbane crowd, her only visit to Queensland on this trip, when she dropped a statement just like a local. “We didn’t come here to f*** spiders,” she remarked, dryly, a statement which, in the Australian vernacular, means there’s other serious business to attend to.

For two-plus hours, Gaga and her crew turned this rugby colosseum into an opera house, a performance that included the classics “Poker Face,” “Born This Way,” “Shallow,” “Rain On Me,” and a touching rendition of “The Edge of Glory” at the piano.

Later, fans turned to social media to put the venue on blast for technical issues, which meant thousands were late to pass through the gates for what was an unusually early start, at 7.30pm, with no support acts.

Gaga’s five-date east coast swing is produced by Live Nation. The shows got underway Dec. 5 for the first of two nights at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, and wraps up this Saturday, Dec. 13 with the second of two shows at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

A second North American leg of The Mayhem Ball will kick off in early 2026, with a new run of dates that will see Mother Monster visit cities that she wasn’t able to reach with her first run — such as Atlanta, Austin, Boston and Washington, D.C. — as well as performances each to Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and New York’s Madison Square Garden.

SYDNEY, Australia — With a string of new leadership promotions in Australian, Southeast Asia and further afield, Warner Music is laying down what its top brass anticipates will serve as a multi-lane highway for its artist roster.

Unveiled Wednesday, Dec. 10, Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia elevate several key executives, a move designed to fulfil the music giant’s mission — to take its local artists global, and make its global artists local.

The appointments include Alex Young’s promotion to VP domestic artists, Warner Music Australasia, a pivotal role overseeing all domestic areas including A&R, creative, and marketing, focusing on nurturing local talent, according to the company.

At the same time, Dan Ellis rises to VP, international artist strategy, WMA and SE Asia. Ellis will be integral in leading WMG’s global offering to its international artists across SE Asia and Australasia.

Young and Ellis report to Dan Rosen, president of Warner Music Australasia and SE Asia.

These changes, reads a statement, should “strengthen its domestic artist pipeline and accelerate the global export of music from the region.”

The new structure was unveiled just six weeks following Rosen’s own promotion, which saw the Sydney-based exec add duties for Warner Music’s recorded music activities across SE Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“It’s an incredible opportunity. Southeast Asia is an incredibly dynamic region with more than 500 million people living in the region,” Rosen tells Billboard.

“Each country is different, has its own unique culture, it’s own unique music industry, but the one common thread across all of it is, it’s dynamic. It’s growing. There’s wonderful entrepreneurialism in the region and a real desire to grow.”

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Within the new structure, Young will be supported by Charlotte Kindred, who is promoted to head of domestic artist strategy, WMA, leading the day-to-day execution of domestic and export strategy.

Also, Sarah Thomas is elevated to artist relations & promotions manager Australasia export. In this newly-created role, Thomas will relocate from Sydney to New York, where she will establish new global networks and export opportunities for Australasian artists.

Ellis will be supported by Lucy Baker, who is promoted to head of PR, artist relations & wellbeing, with responsibilities for leading PR, artist relations, and radio promotional efforts for Australia and New Zealand.

Jordon Dionatos is appointed international artist strategy lead, Australasia and Lisan Yee is named as international artist strategy lead, SE Asia, based in Singapore.

Additionally, a new specialized structure will facilitate advanced digital and fan engagement with Manny Kupelian assuming the post as head of creator strategy, reporting jointly to Ellis and Young. Kupelian oversees the creator & influencer team across the region.

Finally, Mat Buck is promoted to GM streaming, social & community, while Luke Vespa is tapped as streaming & partnerships lead, reporting to Buck.

The new structure, reckons Rosen, represents a balance of agility and specialization, ensuring the music major has the know-how on the spot to seize opportunities in a region that’s home to recognized trigger markets Philippines and Indonesia, and the important English-language sources that are the lands down under.

“There’s an enormous opportunity for both our Australian and New Zealand artists, or regional artists from other parts of the APAC,” explains Rosen, “and then for our big global artists.” Southeast Asia “can be a really great catalyst” for WMA’s mission.

Australia’s music pipeline is gushing right now, as the likes of Amyl and The Sniffers, Dom Dolla, Ninajirachi, Confidence Man, Royel Otis and many others cross borders, and enjoy “global” status.

WMA’s domestic roster includes Boy Soda, who collected his first ARIA Award last month, and Kita Alexander, who performed at the recording industry’s flagship ceremony.

“It’s exciting that there is so much talent coming out of Australia and New Zealand again,” enthuses Rosen. “There’s a new generation of artists that are ‘born global’. From day one, they understand the global platform world that we live in, but still understand that they’ve got to be great live acts, build fans, be authentic, and be great storytellers. I think we’re on the precipice of this next wave of Aussie and Kiwi artists on the world.”

It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! Mariah Carey is back at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and holiday music has officially taken over the airwaves.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are chatting about six brand-new Christmas songs from some of our pop-star faves: Christina Aguilera’s “My Favorite Things,” Cher’s “Christmas Is Here,” Kylie Minogue’s “XMAS,” Gwen Stefani’s “Shake the Snow Globe,” Jonas Brothers’ “Coming Home This Christmas” (featuring Kenny G) and Pentatonix’s virtual duet with the late Frank Sinatra on “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” — already a top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart.

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Listen to our conversation below:

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Taylor Swift returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with The Life of a Showgirl for an eighth nonconsecutive week while a trio of holiday albums return to the top 10, led by Michael Bublé’s Christmas. Meanwhile, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” jingles back to the top of the Hot 100 for a record-tying 19th week atop the list. Plus, it’s year-end charts time! Hundreds of year-end charts were released to Billboard’s website on Tuesday (Dec. 9), so we’ll be talking about the year’s biggest artists, songs and albums.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

MELBOURNE — Australia’s K-pop fans can let it all out next year at a dedicated day-long music festival.

The first edition of 안녕, MELBOURNE (“Hello Melbourne”) will be presented March 14, 2026 at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse, a new show that will sit alongside the market’s rock, indie, dance, country and multi-genre events.

Announced Wednesday, Dec. 10, the new event is made possible by a partnership struck by APPLEWOOD, a leading live player in K-pop and Asian entertainment, and Australian independents concerts and festivals specialist Untitled Group.

Details of the lineup will be announced this Friday.

Established in 2013, APPLEWOOD has produced major tours for the likes of SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, BAEKHYUN, LE SSERAFIM, GFRIEND and G-DRAGON, and orchestrated BLACKPINK’s 2019 world tour, which smashed records with six sold-out arena shows in Bangkok, Thailand.

In those years since launch, the business has produced more than 120 shows and attracting over 750,000 attendees across 20-plus cities in 18 markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and, next year, Australia.

Meanwhile, Untitled Group is celebrating its 10th anniversary, during which time the business has produced a slate of popular festivals, including Beyond The Valley and Wildlands.

In 2024, Untitled Group shifted over 630,000 tickets across its events and tours, including Dom Dolla’s Australian tour, which set a new record for a homegrown DJ with 170,000 tickets sold. Untitled’s festivals portfolio includes Pitch Music & Arts, Ability Fest, and the team produced the domestic leg of RÜFÜS DU SOL’s recent, record-setting world tour.

Australia has a deeper connection with some of the biggest names in K-pop, with the likes of Danielle and Hanni from NewJeans, Rose from BLACKPINK, and Stray Kids pair BangChan and Felix all boasting roots from these parts.

K-pop is a big, and growing business in these parts — both on the national charts and live stages. TWICE’s recent This Is For tour of Australia sold more than 50,000 tickets sold across Sydney and Melbourne, according to Live Nation, which produced those dates, while the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack dominated both the ARIA Singles and Albums Charts at stages this year.

Data presented last year by Live Nation found that the genre is hot in Australasia, with a 600% increase in the number of Asia Pop live shows reported from 2015, and, at the same time, a 275% spike in the number of touring artists passing through.

The inaugural Soundcheck report, published last year by Creative Australia, found that Australia hosts more than 500 festivals. Electronic dance music was the boss, accounting for almost one in four music festivals in Australia (23% of festivals), ahead of rock (21%), country (19%) and indie (17%).

The estate of MF Doom has failed in its first attempt to hold Temu liable for selling counterfeit versions of the late hip-hop legend’s merchandise.

A Tuesday (Dec. 9) ruling out of California federal court grants the e-commerce giant’s motion to dismiss trademark infringement claims brought by MF Doom’s heirs earlier this year. The estate of the British-born rapper, who died in 2020, accused Temu of selling dozens of knock-off t-shirts, hats and posters bearing his name and signature mask.

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Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. says the lawsuit is legally deficient because Temu is not the maker of this merch but rather a marketplace where independent Chinese merchants can sell their own low-priced goods to American customers.

“Plaintiff alleges no facts supporting an inference of joint ownership or control over the infringing products or suggesting that Temu’s role is anything other than a transactional intermediary and fulfiller,” wrote the judge.

It’s not the end of the road for MF Doom’s heirs, though. Judge Blumenfeld is allowing the estate to try again with an amended complaint as long as “it has a good-faith factual and legal basis to do so.” The reworked lawsuit is due by Dec. 19.

Reps for Temu and the MF Doom estate did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday.

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The music industry is increasingly using the legal system to crack down on counterfeiting as phony merch sales have skyrocketed in recent years. Artists like Harry Styles have brought lawsuits against online bootleggers, while the official merch partners for Benson Boone and Tate McRae went to court this summer to stop parking lot t-shirt sellers at the singers’ live shows.

In its August lawsuit, the MF Doom estate tried a new tack by going after a hosting platform, Temu, rather than individual sellers. A month later, the same lawyers brought a similar counterfeiting suit against Temu on behalf of Twenty One Pilots.

Tuesday’s ruling is a sign that artists could face a tough road ahead in holding hosting platforms like Temu liable for the counterfeiting activities of its independent users. There’s a high bar under trademark law to plead the theory known as vicarious or contributory infringement, and it remains to be seen whether the MF Doom estate and Twenty One Pilots will be able to clear that hurdle.


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