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Selena Gomez, one of the stars of Emilia Pérez; second-generation comedy star Ben Stiller; and Joe Alwyn, one of the stars of The Brutalist (though probably still best-known by many as Taylor Swift’s ex) have been added to the list of presenters for the 2025 Oscars. The show will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Other newly announced presenters are Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen and Oprah Winfrey.
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Previously announced presenters are Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Amy Poehler, June Squibb and Bowen Yang – as well as last year’s four acting winners: Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.
Hawn, Berry, Goldberg and Cruz are also past Oscar winners. In 2001, for her role in Monster’s Ball, Berry became the first Black actress to win best actress. These other stars won for best supporting actress – Hawn for Cactus Flower in 1970, Goldberg for Ghost in 1991 and Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2009.
In 2011, Winfrey received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Alwyn has had numerous film credits leading up to The Brutalist. He also appeared in The Favourite (2018), Boy Erased (2018), Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and Harriet (2019), among others.
Nick Offerman will serve as the announcer for this year’s Oscar telecast. Conan O’Brien will host for the first time.
The 97th Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu. The official live red-carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are executive producers of the 2025 Oscars. Kapoor is also showrunner. He was also one of three executive producers for the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, along with Ben Winston and Jesse Collins.
Before he began dating Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce was a typical bro, bro. At least according to former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who sat down with Trav’s big brother, fellow retired NFL great Jason Kelce, on this week’s Fitz & Whit podcast to talk beer pong and the tremendous growth they’ve seen in Travis since […]
Paquita la del Barrio will be honored at Premio Lo Nuestro 2025 with an emotional performance by Pepe Aguilar and his children Leonardo y Ángela Aguilar, Billboard can exclusively announce Wednesday (Feb. 19).
The iconic Mexican ranchera singer, known for denouncing macho culture and attitudes in songs like “Tres Veces Te Engañé,” “Rata de Dos Patas” and “Las Rodilleras,” died this week at her home in Veracruz, Mexico, at age 77.
“Honoring the legacy of Paquita la del Barrio for me is a great responsibility and a true privilege. Her voice was an echo in the soul of our people, and her courage in telling stories paved the way for many generations,” Pepe Aguilar said in a statement, adding that he hopes “that this tribute is as significant with the depth of her spirit.”
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“Paquita la del Barrio taught us that a woman’s voice should never be silenced — she always sang what she felt, without fear and without excuses,” added Ángela Aguilar. “I had the incredible honor of opening her concerts when I was younger, witnessing firsthand the magic she created on stage. Having her as part of [my family’s show] Jaripeo Sin Fronteras was just as special — a true testament to the impact she has had on generations of artists.”
Meanwhile, Leonardo Aguilar expressed: “All my life I have been surrounded by powerful women — whose strength, resilience and passion have shaped who I am. Paquita la del Barrio personified that strength, breaking barriers and giving a voice to those who needed it most.”
With a career spanning over five decades, Paquita la del Barrio was an idol in popular music. In 2011, she received the Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award “La Voz,” and 10 years later, in 2021, she was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards for her exceptional career.
Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Francisca Viveros Barradas (her real name) discovered her powerful voice as a child while singing at school festivals. In the 1970s, she formed the duo Las Golondrinas with her sister Viola, and in 1984, she released her debut album, El Barrio de los Faroles, as Paquita la del Barrio. Since then, she recorded over 30 albums, which sold more than 30 million copies, with hits that also include “Las Mujeres Mandan,” “La Última Parada,” “Me Saludas a la Tuya,” “Soltero Maduro, Chiquito” and “Hombres Malvados,” among others.
In its 37th edition, the Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony will be broadcast live on Thursday (Feb. 20) starting at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Univision, UNIMÁS and ViX. Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia, and Alejandro Espinoza, it will feature performances by Becky G and Carín León, who lead this year’s list of nominees, as well as Shakira, Grupo Frontera, Marc Anthony, Will Smith and many more.
A$AP Rocky jumped into Rihanna‘s arms after a jury acquitted him on both counts in the shooting case involving his former friend A$AP Relli (Terrell Ephron). A short time later, it was RihRih who was jumping for joy while celebrating the verdict, writing in her Instagram Story, “THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE! THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!”
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She ended the post with a prayer hands emoji.
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The singer, 36, was on hand for the final days of the four-week trial in which Rocky (born Rakim Mayers) was facing significant prison time tied to an incident that took place in November 2021 in which he was accused of firing a handgun twice at Relli near a Hollywood hotel. The 36-year-old rapper was arrested in Los Angeles in April 2022 and hit with two felony counts of assault with a firearm and was facing a maximum of 24 years in prison.
After deliberating for around three hours, the jury returned its not guilty verdict on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 18), prompting Rocky to jump over the railing into the arms of an ecstatic Rihanna, with whom he shares two young children, RZA, 2 and Riot, 1. Rocky also took to his socials to celebrate the end of the long-running case, writing on X “DON’T BE DUMB,” a seeming reference to his delayed fourth album of the same name that was slated to drop last August.
At the time, Rocky said posted on X that “LEAKS & SAMPLE CLEARANCES ARE DISRUPTING THE ALBUM. ITS BEEN 6 YEARS & I WANNA MAKE THE BEST ALBUM EVER. IM SORRY FOR THE WAIT,” explaining the delay in releasing his follow-up to 2018’s Testing album. In a Billboard cover story last summer, Rocky said the delayed album was slated to feature frequent collaborator and friend Tyler, The Creator and former Smiths singer Morrissey, as well as an A-list roster of producers, including Pharrell Williams, Mike Dean, Hitkidd, Madlib, Metro Boomin and The Alchemist. “I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f—ing with it heavy,” he said, adding that the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice director was “rocking his head” while listening. “He’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”
Though the official track list has not been revealed yet, Don’t Be Dumb has been preceded by a number of singles, including “Highjack,” “Tailor Swif” and “Ruby Rosary.”
Sabrina Carpenter will headline a second night at London’s BST Hyde Park. The Short n’ Sweet singer will now perform another huge outdoor show on July 6, 2025 following her previously sold-out show on July 5. Carpenter was first announced for BST Hyde Park back in December and joined Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Noah Kahan, […]
Blink-182 co-founder Mark Hoppus is setting his sights on the art world, with the musician set to auction off his rare Banksy artwork.
The artwork, titled Crude Oil (Vettriano), was hand-painted by the anonymous English street artist in 2005 and will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London on March 4. The painting is valued rather highly, attracting a sales estimate of up to £5 million, or $6.3 million.
Originally created for Banksy’s 2005 exhibit Crude Oils, the painting is itself a recreation of the 1992 artwork The Singing Butler by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano. Hoppus would later acquire the piece in 2011.
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As part of the exhibition (which was described as “A Gallery of Re-Mixed Master-Pieces, Vandalism, and Vermin” and featured works based off artists such as Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper), the original was altered to include a “sinking oil liner and two men in hazmat suits wheeling a barrel of toxic waste”.
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“We loved this painting since the moment we saw it,” said Hoppus in a statement. “Unmistakably Banksy, but different. We bought it because we loved it. It’s borne witness to our family over these past dozen years. It hung over the table in London where we ate breakfast and our son did his homework. It hung in our living room in Los Angeles. It’s seen laughter and tears and parties and arguments.”
“This isn’t just an iconic Banksy, it is a Banksy that has been treasured by music legend, Mark Hoppus, who fell for this work for its rebellious spirit, raw edge and unfiltered expression—the fundamentals that also shaped Mark’s world: Punk culture,” Sotheby’s Europe chairman Oliver Barker said in a statement.
“Street art and Punk Rock share the same vocabulary—they speak to the outsider, the rebel and the overlooked. Both movements were born from the margins. They challenge authority and rewrite the rules, a fundamental trait shared by Mark and Banksy. Now, by sharing Crude Oil (Vettriano) with the world, Mark will open others’ eyes to the true power art can have; to spark conversation and challenge the way we see the world around us.”
Remaining anonymous over his three decades of activity, Banksy’s artwork has become as iconic as it is divisive, with his creations adorning the walls of art galleries and album covers in equal measure. In 2021, his Love is in the Bin artwork sold for a record £18,582,000 (valued at $23,442,885 today), with the work itself having gained notoriety for its self-destruction upon its initial sale in 2018.
Hoppus says a portion of the funds raised by the sale will go towards charities and funds aiding those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, including the California Fire Foundation, the Child Life Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Cedars Sinai Hematology Oncology Research.
Crude Oil (Vettriano) is currently on display at Sotheby’s in New York until Thursday (Feb. 20), and will then be on display in London from Feb. 26 until March 4.
The journals of late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley will be collected in an upcoming book, with This Angry Pen to be released in November.
The 176-page volume will be officially released on Nov. 11 via publisher Weldon Owen, with its full title reading This Angry Pen: The Lost Journals of Layne Staley. According to a description of the book on the website of distributors Simon & Schuster, the book collects “handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes” and more.
“For the first time, this stunning collection unveils the deeply personal and creative side of the legendary Alice in Chains frontman,” it continues. “Through never-before-seen poetry, raw handwritten lyrics, intimate scribblings, and heartfelt notes, Layne’s inner thoughts and emotions come to life, offering a glimpse into the mind of a musical genius who defined a generation.”
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Staley began his musical journey in the ‘80s, performing in glam bands in the Seattle area such as Sleze, which changed its name in 1986 to Alice N’ Chains.
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In 1987, Staley – along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney – formed a new band and renamed it Alice in Chains. The group would soon become one of the most influential grunge rock outfits of the ‘90s, with their 1995 self-titled album peaking atop the Billboard 200.
In addition to performing and recording with supergroups Mad Season and Class of ‘99 through the decade, Staley became largely reclusive in the latter half of the ‘90s, battling depression and drug addiction during those years. In April 17, 2002, Staley’s body was found in his Seattle apartment, with an autopsy ruling his death as an accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin from two weeks prior.
Alice in Chains would later reform in 2005, with vocalist William DuVall joining the following year. The band have since released three studio albums, with 2018’s Rainier Fog serving as their last record to date.
“Through Layne’s scribblings and heartfelt musings are a window into the emotional depths of a man who gave so much of himself to his art and his fans, even as he struggled with his own battles,” the description for This Angry Pen continued. “For fans new and old, this is an opportunity to connect with Layne’s artistry and humanity in a way that’s never been possible before. His story, told through his own words, creations, and the lives he forever changed, is a testament to the enduring power of music, art, and the human spirit.”
The publication of This Angry Pen also draws some comparisons to the 2002 book Journals, which collected the drawings and writings of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Nirvana and Alice in Chains – along with fellow Seattle contemporaries Pearl Jam and Soundgarden – were often considered to make up the ‘Big Four’ of grunge music. Reaction to Cobain’s Journals was mixed upon its release, with Cobain’s daughter Frances Bean expressing her regret over its publication in 2018.
Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has dismissed his bandmates’ decision to reform with Frank Carter on vocals, likening the whole endeavor to “karaoke”.
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News of a tour from the Sex Pistols emerged in 2024 when it was first announced that the band – featuring original members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock – were to reunite for a two-night affair to benefit West London’s Bush Hall.
The reunion did not, however, feature Lydon, who served as the vocalist of the band under his Johnny Rotten moniker. Instead, the group was to be fronted by Carter, who has previously fronted acts such as Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes.
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The initial shows soon led to further dates around the U.K. and Europe, with the band billed as Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter. Further shows have since been announced for Australia, New Zealand, and other European countries throughout 2025. In January, Jones confirmed U.S. dates would follow, though specifics are yet to arrive.
Lydon, however, had remained largely quiet in regard to the nascent shows from the band. On Thursday (Feb. 13), he spoke to British publication The i Paper about the tour, explaining that he largely felt “annoyed” by the whole affair and feared it would tarnish the group’s legacy.
“When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off,” he explained. “It annoyed me. I just thought, ‘they’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.’ I didn’t write those words lightly. They’re trying to trivialise the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you’ll see who has the value and who doesn’t. I’ve never sold my soul to make a dollar. It’s the Catholic in me – that guilt I don’t want to trip.
“Like Nancy Reagan, I’ve always found it easy to just say ‘no,’” he continued. “If something challenges your heart and your soul and your mind and your sense of purity of what is right and wrong in the world, then just say no. Which, according to the corporate thinking which riddles the music business earns me the title of ‘difficult to work with’ – a title of which I’m very proud.”
The new tour is not the first time, however, that Sex Pistols members have performed songs with a different vocalist. In recent years, Jones and Cook teamed up with Billy Idol and Tony James of Generation X to form the supergroup Generation Sex. Though initially a one-off occurrence in 2018, the group would later embark on a European tour in 2023.
Lydon touched on both the nascent iteration of the Sex Pistols and the Generation Sex group in another recent interview with the Classic Album Review podcast, claiming it’s his presence that makes for the genuine article.
“I wrote the fucking songs, didn’t I? I gave them the image,” he explained. ”I was the frontman. I am the voice what made the whole world sing. And now [they’re] going out, as they did the year before with Billy Idol. It’s just karaoke, really.
“I would love to be embarrassed by high-quality songwriting from them,” he continued. “They’ve had long enough to get that together now, haven’t they? But no. They profess their hatred for me, but they can’t live without me. I am the punishment that goes on giving.”
The Sex Pistols initially existed from 1975 until 1978, releasing their sole studio album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols in 1977. Lauded as a pioneering punk outfit despite their short initial tenure, the band would later reform in 1996 for a world tour, and undertook sporadic tours until 2008.
Famously, the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, though refused to attend the ceremony, labeling the institution a “piss stain.”
The Backstreet Boys are taking over the Sphere in Las Vegas with their ‘Into the Millennium’ residency and their anniversary album ‘Millennium 2.0.’ Keep watching to see what fans can expect at their show and more! Are you excited for their residency? Let us know in the comments! Backstreet Boys: One incredible experience, sensory overload. […]
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Backstreet Boys superstar Brian Littrell revealed on the Today show that his 22-year-old son, Baylee, will appear on the upcoming season of American Idol. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “He was just texting me last night, going, ‘Dad, […]