Jill Scott, John Legend and Earth, Wind & Fire are among the stars who will be performing at the inaugural HBCU AWAREFEST. Billed as “the largest HBCU fundraiser ever,” the festival — a new joint partnership between Live Nation Urban and Student Freedom Initiative — will be staged at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena on March 26.
In addition to the aforementioned acts, the lineup includes Common, GloRilla, Tems, Metro Boomin, Kirk Franklin and others. Chris Paul, Angel Reese, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and entrepreneur-philanthropist Robert F. Smith are among the guest speakers who will be participating.
“At Student Freedom Initiative, we are incredibly excited about the coalition and movement that we are building to end the student loan debt crisis for our nation’s HBCU students,” said Keith Shoates, president and CEO of SFI, in a statement. “In addition to these amazing performers, we have enlisted AWAREFEST Ambassadors, showing the breadth of our ecosystem of mission-aligned partners. These individuals will help to spread the word and share the urgency of our mission to tackle the racial wealth gap through the lens of education.”
Shawn Gee, president of Live Nation Urban, commented, “Live Nation Urban is committed to Black excellence in music and culture, and today we are proud to stand with our partners at Student Freedom Initiative to build a national movement of allies, artists, activists and students to support the institutions that are the foundation of our culture.”
Serving as a nationwide call to action, HBCU AWAREFEST will also present workshops and panel discussions about the serious issue of student loan debt. Funds raised by Live Nation Urban and Student Freedom Initiative will benefit SFI’s Student Freedom Loan Agreement, described as “an affordable, income-contingent funding alternative to Parent PLUS Loans.”
Tickets for HBCU AWAREFEST are available for presale now, and then go on sale Nov. 21 (10 a.m. ET). For tickets and additional information, visit the event’s website.
The BMI Country Awards celebrated the top songwriters and music publishers driving the past year’s 50 most-performed songs in the country music genre during a star-studded celebration held Nov. 18 at BMI’s Nashville office. The evening was led by BMI president/CEO Mike O’Neill and hosted by BMI’s chief revenue and creative officer Mike Steinberg, as well as BMI Nashville vice president of creative Clay Bradley, who called the evening “the greatest parking lot party in the world.”
Clint Black was celebrated for more than three decades of crafting songs that have considerably impacted country music, when he was presented with the BMI Icon Award.
Black has been affiliated with BMI since 1993 and has earned 20 BMI Country Awards during his career. He’s also earned 13 No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs chart hits, among them “Summer’s Comin’,” “Walkin’ Away,” “A Good Run of Back Luck,” and “When My Ship Comes In.” Black has been a writer on the majority of his biggest hits, while also etching a multi-faceted career that has included roles as a musician, actor and producer. He’s earned five ACM Awards, four CMA Awards and a Grammy.
An illustrious lineup of artists took part to honor Black throughout the night with their renditions of his songs. Midland performed “A Better Man,” while Jamey Johnson performed “Untanglin’ My Mind.”
“Thank you for such an indelible mark that you’ve left on music,” Johnson told Black.
Jamey Johnson performs onstage at the 2025 BMI Country Awards at BMI on Nov. 18, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI
Riley Green performed a rendition of “Killin’ Time,” while Randy Houser and Wynonna earned a standing ovation for their performance of “A Bad Goodbye,” which Wynonna and Black originally released in 1993.
Beyond the performances, other artists and music executives feted Black through video segments, including acclaimed journalist/author Robert K. Oermann, Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston, artists Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Bill Anderson, Luke Combs, late night television host Conan O’Brien and actors Billy Bob Thornton and Matthew McConaughey.
In a video tribute, Bryan said of Black’s 1989 Killin’ Time album, “It never left my stereo, my speakers… that album changed my life.”
Black attended the awards with his wife of 34 years, Lisa Hartman-Black, and their daughter Lily Pearl Black, who is following in her father’s footsteps as a singer-songwriter.
In accepting his BMI Icon Award, Black recalled how songwriting was a formative part of his childhood, and how his father showed him the liner notes on a Merle Haggard record. “He taught me how to read the liner notes. He’d say, ‘There’s the artist, there’s the songwriter, there’s the producer…’ He said, ‘It’s usually Billy Sherrill, if it’s good.’ From that point on, I wanted to be a songwriter. Being up here, standing up here, I can tell you, it’s the best job. I’m so grateful. To all of you who sang my songs to me tonight, it was a real treat and a real honor… I’m in such great company here tonight.”
Black also added, “You don’t do what we do without a long train of people behind you, pushing you up the hill. There have been a lot of people in my life who are as much responsible for this moment as I am…Seeing how many of my friends and fellow artists pitched in to make this special is truly humbling. It’s unexpected and that makes it twice as good.”
Charlie Handsome speaks onstage during the 2025 BMI Country Awards at BMI on Nov. 18, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Erika Goldring/Getty Images for BMI
The evening also celebrated 38 first-time award winners, among them Seth Ennis (for the Dylan Marlowe/Dylan Scott collab “Boys Back Home”), MacKenzie Carpenter (for Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty”), Thomas Eriksen (for Kane Brown’s “Miles On It”), Zach Top for his own hit “I Never Lie,” Tucker Wetmore for his hit “Wind Up Missin’ You,” Chase Matthew for his hit “Love You Again,” and Nevin Sastry for Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Charlie Handsome took home BMI country songwriter of the year honors, for his work in crafting hit songs including “I Had Some Help,” “Love Somebody,” “Guy for That,” “This Town’s Been Too Good to Us,” and “Pour Me a Drink.”
“This is probably the first time a rap/hip-hop producer won songwriter of the year in country,” Handsome said, drawing cheers from the crowd. He later added, “I started keeping this circle around me. If you stick with the best writers you know, and work with people who are better than you, you can win.” He also praised many of his musical and industry cohorts, including Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, ERNEST and HARDY.
The Wallen/Post Malone collaboration “I Had Some Help,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, was named song of the year. Co-writers on the song ERNEST, Handsome, Hoskins, Wallen and Chandler Paul Walters were honored, as were the song’s publishers, Big Loud Mountain, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
For a third consecutive year, Warner-Tamerlane was named BMI country publisher of the year. The company published 32 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, among them Luke Bryan’s “Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” Zach Bryan’s “28,” “Tourniquet” and “Pink Skies,” the Ella Langley/Riley Green collaboration “You Look Like You Love Me,” Cody Johnson’s “Dirt Cheap,” Jelly Roll’s “Halfway to Hell,” “I Am Not Okay” and “Liar,” and Bailey Zimmerman’s “Holy Smokes.”
Randy Houser and Wynonna Judd perform onstage at the 2025 BMI Country Awards at BMI on Nov. 18, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 17:26:212025-11-19 17:26:21Clint Black Honored as BMI Icon During BMI Country Awards: ‘Truly Humbling’
D4vd is a suspect in the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found decomposing in the trunk of the singer’s impounded Tesla two months ago, ABC News and NBC News report, citing sources.
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According to NBC News, a source with the Los Angeles Police Department said the 20-year-old artist born David Anthony Burke has not been cooperating. ABC News’ sources also said the same, and added that law enforcement is open to the idea that there may be more people involved.
The medical examiner has not yet determined Hernandez’s cause of death. However, the police source also told NBC Los Angeles that the teen likely died in the spring, and that the musician likely helped with the dismembering and disposal of her remains.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Billboard has reached out to D4vd’s rep and the Los Angeles Police Department for comment.
The update comes in the aftermath of the news that on Sept. 8, a “foul odor” emanating from the trunk of a Tesla in the Hollywood Tow lot in L.A. had led to the discovery of Hernandez’s dead body inside. The teenager — who’d been deceased for an “extended period of time” before that, officials concluded — was reported missing in April 2024 in Riverside County.
The car was soon found to be registered to D4vd, who, at the time, was said to be “fully cooperating” with police.
When she was first found, D4vd had been on his Withered World Tour. The remainder of his shows were later canceled.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 17:26:202025-11-19 17:26:20D4vd Is a Suspect in Death Investigation of 15-Year-Old Girl Found in His Car: Reports
Usher is suing music producer Bryan-Michael Cox and other organizers of a failed Atlanta restaurant project, claiming in a new lawsuit that they still owe him $700,000 and misused money he lent to buy the property.
In a case filed last week in Georgia court and obtained by Billboard, the Atlanta superstar says he lent more than $1.7 to Cox and others to help purchase a building for “Homage ATL,” a high-end restaurant and lounge in the city’s tony Buckhead neighborhood.
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When the deal didn’t go through, Usher’s lawyers say he demanded his money back, but the Homage organizers only returned $1 million – because the rest had allegedly been used elsewhere without permission.
“Plaintiff loaned [the money] for the sole purpose of purchasing the Buckhead property,” Usher’s attorneys write. “The defendant investor group failed to purchase the Buckhead property and, instead, diverted the Raymond loan balance for [other] purposes.”
Cox is a well-known R&B producer who’s produced hits for Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Usher himself. The other defendants are alleged project partners Keith Thomas and Charles Hughes, as well as attorney Alcide Honoré and several companies allegedly tied to the project.
In a statement on Instagram, Cox seemed to pin the blame for the dispute on others: “My legal team has … advised me of a lawsuit involving a company where I am only a passive minority shareholder. I was not a participant in that business transaction and have no involvement in the ongoing legal process. While I’m unable to share more details right now, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: my 27-year friendship with @usher remains fully intact.”
But Usher’s lawyers don’t seem to be in a friendly mood. They claim Cox and the rest of the Homage organizers were “unjustly enriched” by using the remaining loan funds for other reasons, “which was to plaintiff’s detriment, damage, and expense.”
Usher’s case claims that Cox, Hughes and Thomas approached him last year about the project, which was “intended to offer the public a unique dining lounge experience.” Though he says they wanted the locally-raised superstar to sign onto the project as a full-fledged partner, Usher says he “declined to become an investor” and instead opted merely to loan the group money to buy the restaurant’s location for more than $6 million.
As the “days and months passed” in early 2025, the two sides continued to negotiate a potential investment by Usher, but no deal was ever reached and the Buckhead property was never purchased. Eventually, the star says he demanded his money back – but that Honoré effectively told him that some of the funds had been used elsewhere.
“Honoré all but admitted that the Raymond loan balance was disbursed when he stated that returning that balance was ‘not that easy’ because plaintiff’s funds had been deployed for ‘other purposes’,” Usher’s attorneys write. “Honoré stated [that Usher] would be repaid once the Buckhead property was purchased and the property was refinanced, indicating that he apparently no longer had possession, custody, or control over the funds.”
Several of the lawsuit’s claims are aimed solely at Honoré, including breach of bailment – meaning he failed to return Usher’s property – as well as various other forms of wrongdoing, including negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. He did not return a request for comment. The case accuses the rest of the investors of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and keeping money that wasn’t theirs. Thomas and Hughes could not immediately be reached for comment.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 17:06:072025-11-19 17:06:07Usher Sues Music Producer Over Failed Atlanta Restaurant, Says His $700K Loan Was Never Repaid
Northern Ireland rap trio Kneecap dropped a surprise drum & bass single, “No Comment,” on Tuesday (Nov. 18), a track the Belfast group said in an Instagram post is “all about the police witch-hunt against Mo Chara.”
The latter reference is to the terrorism charge against MC Chara (born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), with the song taking on the legal action launched by British authorities against Chara that was thrown out of court in September on a technicality.
The provocative group added the messages, “Free Palestine. Free the 6 counties. F–k the peelers,” references, respectively, to the group’s support of the Palestinian people and advocacy for a Palestinian homeland, the slogan used by Irish nationalists in reference to six counties in Northern Ireland as part of a push to end British rule in the territory and a slang phrase denigrating the police.
The two-minute-long collaboration with DJ/producer Sub Focus was accompanied by cover art by enigmatic British street artist Banksy in the form of one of his signature murals in which a protestor is seen in shadow lying on the ground trying to protect himself from a judge threatening to hit him with a gavel.
The song’s mostly Irish-language lyrics hit on Chara’s legal entanglements with bars including, “It’s certain that we’re in the way/ In the West Bank and in Gaza/ We’ve made an example of you now, so silence Mo Chara/ That won’t ever happen,” as well as, “I’m misbehaving in badness/ Mo Chara’s wanted/ The air bubble bandit.” The song later takes on the paranoia that comes with sudden, controversial fame. “Have you ever been plastered on the news when you’ve got the heebie-jeebies?,” it continues, “Far from ideal/ Got death threats on my screen.”
In a statement to Pitchfork, the group said: “‘No Comment’ is all about getting harassed by the British state. Simple as. Us Irish are well used to it, been happening for centuries. Was a pleasure to work with Sub Focus on this, the man is a legend.”
Chara was charged in May with a terror offense for reportedly displaying the flag of the Lebanese Islamist political party and paramilitary group Hezbollah during a Nov. 2024 concert in London’s Kentish Town Forum, a group designated with terrorist status by the U.K. government. The charge was tossed out by a British judge in September, due to a technical error in the timing of when the charges were brought by London’s Metropolitan Police; Chara had steadfastly denied any wrongdoing in the case, though video footage from the show appeared to show him displaying a flag associated with Hezbollah.
The band continued to court controversy over the past year, including during their Coachella sets in April, which ended with a message that read: “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F–k Israel; free Palestine.” The statement led to a number of prominent music industry figures, including Ozzy Osbourne manager Sharon Osborne, calling for them to be removed from the bill and for their work visas to be revoked.
The group has since been banned from several countries, including Hungary and Canada, over claims, respectively, that they pose a “national security threat” and that they made statements “that are contrary to Canadian values and laws.” They were also forced to cancel a run of shows in the U.S. and U.K. in the midst of the court case.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 16:51:192025-11-19 16:51:19Kneecap Drop ‘No Comment’ Single, Drum & Bass Anthem About Rapper Mo Chara’s Tossed Terrorism Case
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It’s never too early to start planning your holiday shopping. With the holiday season quickly approaching, finding thoughtful gifts that won’t break the bank can feel like a challenge. To make your gift-giving stress-free and budget-friendly, we’ve put together a list of 10 gifts that are worth adding to your shopping list, all priced $10 or under.
From Rihanna-approved accessories to ear-safe headphones, this gift guide has something special for everyone, even music lovers. Whether you’re shopping for family, friends or colleagues, these affordable options are sure to bring a smile to someone’s face, without breaking the bank in turn. Keep in mind: Some of these gifts also make great stocking stuffers or white elephant gifts, like the Jessica Simpson Heart Ring set, theTonymoly Head to Toe Superstars Mask Set and the E.l.f Reviver Lip Oil. From big gifts to dainty items, there is something for everyone on your list.
Scroll down and select one or more of your favorite gifts under $10. With this list, you’ll be sure to find something that’s both budget-friendly and special.
ZOHAN Noise Cancelling Over Ear Headphones with Velvet Bag, Blue
These noise-canceling headphones are just $10, and they’re on-par with some of the more pricey models we’ve seen. The ZOHAN wireless style comes in four total colors and sits over-the-ear. They offer effective noise-canceling to protect delicate ears from loud noises, ensuring safety. We’d recommend buying these for your little ones, but adults can partake too, obviously.
Aolcev USB C Cable 66W Fast USB A to USB C Charging Cord 3.3FT
Who said tech had to be boring? This beaded charging cord is 3.3 feet, giving you a wide range of movement once your phone is plugged in. This is a USB-C Cable, meaning it is compatible with any device with a USB-C port. It’s also fast-charging, meaning you won’t have to spend too long plugged in. With all the colorful beaded accents, you’ll never mistake your charger for someone else’s ever again.
Logitech – M196 Lightweight Bluetooth Wireless Optical Mouse
This wireless mouse from Logitech is comparable to styles we’ve seen from top brands. The difference? This mouse is only $9.74. The wireless style is portable due to its compact size and pairs with your laptop or tablet in seconds via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for a dongle or port. It also comes in a cute pastel pink hue if you’re looking to make your gaming setup a little more fun.
Flat hair clips have been utilized by the likes of Solange, Rihanna and more to add a stylish touch to their updos, or to keep their hair back while makeup is being applied. These $10 clips from Urban Outfitters are uniquely suited for both purposes thanks to the bow detailing. They also won’t put creases in your hair, leaving your updo dent-free. These make a cute stocking stuffer for the beauty and fashion-obsessed person in your life.
Looking to treat that special someone to a spa day, but not willing to break the bank? This Tonymoly head-to-toe mask set is here to help. The mask set comes with the brand’s White Chocolate Peppermint Foot Mask, Vanilla Sugar Hand Mask, I’m Honey Sheet Mask and their I’m Plum Sheet Mask, everything you need to get you feeling relaxed and pampered for just $10.
The Creme Shop Bear Essential Facial Cleansing & Firming Massager
Cute and functional? What could be better than that? This bear-shaped facial cleansing tool doubles as a massager and retails for just $10 at Ulta Beauty. To use, you’ll want to lather your face with a cleanser and buff in with this tool. It’s much more hygienic than using your hands and it works to remove dead skin thanks to the textured face. It also helps circulate blood flow and fluids, depuffing the face.
This candle from Urban Outfitters is as cute as can be and makes a great gift for the trinket lover in your life. The 3oz goose-shaped candle is scented with notes of roses, lychee, citrus, peony, red rose, iris, green, amber, and musk, creating a fresh rose garden scent with hints of fruit. It’s a conversation starter for sure and at just $10, it’ll be hard to pass up on.
If you’re on the hunt for a stocking stuffer, this pocket-sized mirror is a must-add to your cart. It’s the ultimate makeup essential for on-the-go touch-ups. With its built-in lighting, it provides just the right amount of light for flawless results.
If you’re looking for a dainty yet meaningful gift, consider adding this Jessica Simpson Heart Ring set to your cart. This versatile set allows you to layer the rings for a personalized, stylish look., featuring designs ranging from heart-shaped to star-shaped.
Looking for a stocking stuffer beauty gift? This e.l.f Glow Reviver Lip Oil gives you an ultra-glossy look with a non-sticky formula. This lip oil glides effortlessly with its plush cushion applicator, giving your lips a luscious and hydrated shine. Plus, it’s 100% vegan and cruelty-free, making it a feel-good choice for your beauty routine.
Start your holiday shopping off right by adding one (or a few) of these affordable finds to your cart. You can also get creative and put together your own custom gift basket with all your favorite items. This is a great opportunity to craft a one-of-a-kind gift that’s both meaningful and personal, giving it that extra special touch — whether they’re a Swiftie or a Sabrina Carpenter fan.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 16:35:412025-11-19 16:35:41Stocking Stuffers, Celeb-Approved Beauty, Tech Items & More – Our Favorite 10 Gifts for $10 or Under
One thing is for sure every year around the time of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies — there’s going to be talk about bands. Of course, there’s which bands are getting in this year, and who from those bands is showing up and/or performing, and which members from their earlier or later history have gone unfairly unrecognized. And then inevitably, there’s discussion to which bands have yet to get in, and which are the most overlooked and which seem destined to forever be on the outside. And then finally: Which previously ineligible bands will soon be up for voting for the first time — and do any of them have a real chance of getting in?
With this year’s Rock Hall induction finally coming up this weekend (Nov. 9), we think it’s a good time to look back on rock’s history — from the very beginning up until this century — and figure out which rock bands we at Billboard think still serve as the benchmarks for greatness. Which of the established canon of rock greats do we still think still merit their spots in the genre’s inner circle? Which newer artists do we think belong in there with them? Which artists from regrettably oft-excluded subgenres (or nationalities) do we think additional room should now be made for? And who do we think is still the absolute best of the best?
All this month, we’ve been counting down our picks for the 50 greatest rock bands of all time, ending this Wednesday (Nov. 19) with the top 10. We tried to keep the focus on true bands, so we didn’t include vocal groups (who don’t play the majority of their own instruments) — or bands who mostly fell in back of their top-billed frontperson — but we weren’t overly fussy in defining “rock” from there. Read our choices over the next few weeks, let us know your own picks, and long live rock and its many exemplary practitioners.
Prepare to feel old, even if you’re young: Movies about classic rockers are now contenders for AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the biopic about a pivotal period in the life of Bruce Springsteen, is nominated for best period film, while its director, Scott Cooper, is up for best director. Becoming Led Zeppelin, a doc about Led Zeppelin, hard rock gods of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, is nominated for best documentary.
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The Movies for Grownups Awards honor films and television projects that celebrate the voices and stories of those who are 50-plus. This year’s contenders for the top award, best picture/best movie for grownups, are Hamnet, A House of Dynamite, One Battle After Another, Sinners and Train Dreams.
Kathryn Bigelow, director of A House of Dynamite, and Paul Thomas Anderson, director of One Battle After Another, are up for best director, along with Cooper, director of the aforementioned Springsteen biopic, Guillermo del Toro (Frankenstein) and Spike Lee (Highest 2 Lowest).
Ethan Hawke is nominated for best actor for playing lyricist Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon. The film is set on the night of the opening of the groundbreaking musical Oklahoma!, which was created by Hart’s former collaborator Richard Rodgers and his new lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.
Other nominees include Helen Mirren, recently announced as the 2026 recipient of the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award; two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn; and Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock.
Two documentaries directed by current stars that look at the lives of their parent(s) are also nominated for best documentary. They are Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, Ben Stiller’s film about his parents, the great 1960s comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and My Mom Jayne, actress Mariska Hargitay’s look at her mother, 1960s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield. The remaining nominees for best documentary are Cover Up, a look at investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, and Riefenstahl, about controversial filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.
In the best TV series or limited series category, nominations go to Adolescence, Hacks, The Pitt, The Studio, and The White Lotus.
“These nominees prove that powerful storytelling transcends age,” Myechia Minter-Jordan, CEO of AARP, said in a statement. “At AARP, we believe representation matters—not just for audiences, but for the industry itself. By honoring these actors and creators, we’re shining a light on the richness, depth, and diversity of experience that deserves to be seen and celebrated.”
The annual Movies for Grownups Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California. Alan Cumming, the Tony- and Emmy Award-winning host of TV’s The Traitors, will return to host the show, which will be broadcast by PBS’ Great Performances on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 7/6c.
The annual awards show raises funds for AARP Foundation, which works to strengthen older adults’ financial resilience.
Here’s the complete list of 2025 nominees for the Movies for Grownups Awards:
Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups
Hamnet
A House of Dynamite
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Actress
Laura Dern, Is This Thing On?
Jodie Foster, A Private Life
Lucy Liu, Rosemead
Julia Roberts, After the Hunt
June Squibb, Eleanor the Great
Best Actor
George Clooney, Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Dwayne Johnson, The Smashing Machine
Best Supporting Actress
Regina Hall, One Battle After Another
Amy Madigan, Weapons
Helen Mirren, Goodbye June
Gwyneth Paltrow, Marty Supreme
Sigourney Weaver, Avatar: Fire and Ash
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
Delroy Lindo, Sinners
Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
Michael Shannon, Nuremberg
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Kathryn Bigelow, A House of Dynamite
Scott Cooper, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Guillermo del Toro, Frankenstein
Spike Lee, Highest 2 Lowest
Best Screenwriter
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, Jay Kelly
Bradley Cooper, Will Arnett, and Mark Chappell, Is This Thing On?
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 16:16:092025-11-19 16:16:09‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,’ ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ & More Nominated for 2026 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards: Full List
Ariana Grande flew solo on The Tonight Show, appearing Tuesday (Nov. 18) without Wicked costar Cynthia Erivo — but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have a duet partner.
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The pop star made a theatrical entrance on the late-night program with a medley of iconic duets, performing opposite Jimmy Fallon and beginning with a few bars of Wicked classic “For Good.” The pair then nailed renditions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica, along with modern smashes such as Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” and ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “Apt.”
For the big finish, the late-night host and Grande belted out “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” and teased the audience as if they were about to recreate the iconic Dirty Dancing lift, but swapped out the R.E.M. Beauty founder mid-running start with a crude dummy wearing the same dress as her for Fallon to catch instead.
The appearance marked Grande’s 10th time on The Tonight Show. In addition to singing with Fallon, she and the comedian chatted on the couches about the process of filming the Wicked movies, the second of which premieres Friday (Nov. 21) after a yearlong wait.
Plus, Grande rose to the challenge of showing off her baton-spinning skills when Fallon presented her with a model of Glinda’s sparkly pink wand from Wicked.
The vocalist’s latest stop by 30 Rock comes about a month ahead of when she’s scheduled to return to the iconic comedy hub to host Saturday Night Live for a third time on Dec. 20. “I’m so excited,” she told Fallon of finding out that she’d be splitting the bill with Cher, who will serve as the musical guest on her episode. “I almost passed out. I had no idea what to do. What an honor.”
She also added that it was bound to be “one of the gayest SNL episodes that has ever happened.”
Watch Grande and Fallon perform duets by Lady Gaga, ROSÉ and more above.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 16:08:522025-11-19 16:08:52Watch Ariana Grande Sing ROSÉ’s ‘Apt.,’ Lady Gaga’s ‘Shallow’ & More Iconic Duets With Jimmy Fallon
Suno, the leading AI tool for making music, said on Wednesday it raised $250 million from a group of investors led by Menlo Ventures that values the company at $2.45 billion.
Other investors in the series C round included NVIDIA’s venture capital arm NVentures, Hallwood Media, Lightspeed and Matrix.
Founded in 2023, Suno’s music creation app has been used by Billboard charting artists like Xania Monet, who signed to Suno investor Hallwood Media earlier this year. Suno’s popular AI tools have also generated controversy, as music companies including Universal Music Group sued the company for alleged copyright infringement.
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Suno CEO and co-founder Mikey Shulman said the company is “seeing the future of music take shape in real time.”
“In just two years, we’ve seen millions of people make their ideas a reality through Suno, from first-time creators to top songwriters and producers integrating the tool into their daily workflows,” Shulman said in a statement. “This funding allows us to keep expanding what’s possible, empowering more artists to experiment, collaborate, and build on their creativity. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this historic moment for music.”
Amy Martin, partner at Menlo Ventures, said Suno has “built something people genuinely love using and millions of fans are on the platform every day.”
In September, Suno rolled out a generative audio workstation called Suno Studio that users can use to edit with AI stem generation, and v5 music model offering improved vocals and prompts to create tracks, according to a press release.
The company said in a statement that it aims to use the money to build out its “full-stack music ecosystem” to draw and keep users to foster a creative and social community, “rather than a one-off generation.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-11-19 15:31:552025-11-19 15:31:55Suno Raises $250 Million for $2.45 Billion Valuation
