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Bob Bryar, the former drummer of My Chemical Romance, has died. He was 44.
The musician, who was the rock band’s longest-serving drummer, was found dead in his Tennessee home on Tuesday (Nov. 26) after being last seen earlier in the month, according to TMZ. Authorities have stated there is no suspicion of foul play. Bryar’s possessions — including musical equipment and weapons — were not taken.
Animal control was reportedly called to the home to remove a pair of dogs after Bryar’s decomposed body was discovered. The cause of his death had not been confirmed at press time.
Billboard has reached out to My Chemical Romance’s representatives for comment.
Bryar, who had previously worked as a sound technician for The Used, joined My Chemical Romance in 2004 while the two bands were on tour. He replaced the band’s original drummer, Matt Pelissier, shortly after the release of their second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.
Bryar was a key member of My Chemical Romance during their rise to fame, contributing to the New Jersey band’s second album, The Black Parade, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2006. He was also involved in the writing of the group’s 2010 release, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, but left the band before its release.
“This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly,” My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero wrote at the time. “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors, and expect you all to do the same.’”
After departing from My Chemical Romance, Bryar retired from music and became a real estate agent, according to TMZ. He also devoted much of his time to dog rescue charities and sanctuaries.
Earlier this month, My Chemical Romance announced a series of 2025 stadium shows where they will perform The Black Parade in full. Bryar was not scheduled to appear at any of the performances. The 10-city tour will launch on July 11, 2025, in Seattle.
A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday (Nov. 27) again refused to release Sean “Diddy” Combs on bail ahead of his sex trafficking and racketeering trial next year, citing the rapper’s “propensity for violence” and evidence that he poses “a serious risk of witness tampering.”
The star’s lawyers had argued he could be released on a $50 million bond and live under house arrest with “near-total” restrictions, but federal prosecutors had argued that Diddy had been trying to “subvert the integrity” of the case from jail and would continue to do so if released.
In a ruling issued late Wednesday, Judge Arun Subramanian sided with the government, saying that “no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community” if Combs was released ahead of trial.
“There is compelling evidence of Combs’s propensity for violence,” the judge wrote. “There is evidence supporting a serious risk of witness tampering.”
In denying bail, Judge Subramanian cited evidence that Combs had “initiated and had unexplained communication” with a witness who had been called to testify before the grand jury and that he had likely already violated prison rules since he was arrested in September. The judge also cited a legal precedent that said “wealthy defendants” should not be released on bail to “self-funded private jails.”
“Given the nature of the allegations in this case and the information provided by the government, the Court doubts the sufficiency of any conditions that place trust in Combs and individuals in his employ —like a private security detail — to follow those conditions,” Judge Subramanian wrote.
A spokesperson for Combs did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday evening.
Combs was indicted in September, charged with running a sprawling criminal operation aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” The case centers on elaborate “freak off” parties in which Combs and others would allegedly ply victims with drugs and then coerce them into having sex, as well as on alleged acts of violence to keep victims silent.
A trial is currently set to start on May 5. If convicted on all of the charges, Combs faces a potential life prison sentence.
At a hearing in September, Judge Andrew L. Carter refused to release Combs on bail, saying that prosecutors had presented “clear and convincing evidence” that he posed a danger to the community. He said “no condition or set of conditions” could guard against the risk of Combs obstructing the investigation or threatening or harming witnesses.
Earlier this month, Combs’ lawyers renewed their request for bail with Judge Subramanian, who took over the case last month after Judge Carter recused himself. They again offered to pay a $50 million bond but with a “far more robust” package of restrictions. They also cited the recent release of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries after he was arrested on similar sex trafficking charges.
“There is no legal basis for continuing to force Mr. Combs to prepare for trial from jail,” his lawyers wrote in court filings.
The government fired back last week, arguing that Combs would still pose a grave risk of obstruction of justice if released. In doing so, they accused Diddy of trying to tamper with the case from behind bars, including reaching out to witnesses, leaking favorable materials, and orchestrating “social media campaigns” to influence public opinion and taint the jury pool.
“Defendant has continued to engage in a relentless course of obstructive conduct designed to subvert the integrity of these proceedings,” the prosecution wrote in the filing.
The decision means that until trial, Combs will remain in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal prison in Brooklyn often used to house defendants awaiting trial. He will also likely re-launch his appeal of the bail issue to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which has been on hold while he asked Judge Subramanian to reconsider.
Former American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy was sentenced to eight years in prison this week for a 2022 DUI car crash in South Carolina that killed 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris. According to WSPA, Kennedy, 20, plead guilty to driving under the influence resulting in death on Monday and was sentenced to 25 years in prison […]
Old Dominion made history at the 2024 CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday (Nov. 20) evening. Not only did the country outfit nab the 2024 CMA Award for vocal group of the year, but it became the second-most awarded vocal group in the history of the Country Music Association Awards. Explore Explore […]
Candace Owens has reacted to allegations of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attempts to obstruct justice in his upcoming sex trafficking and racketeering case. Last week, prosecutors claimed that Diddy allegedly had family members reach out to potential witnesses and victims while he’s been behind bars, and urged a judge to deny the embattled mogul’s bail request. […]
Liam Payne’s funeral took place on Wednesday (Nov. 20) in south-east England, just over a month after his death (Oct. 16). The One Direction star died at age 31 following a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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The private funeral for family and friends only took place in Amersham, Buckinghamshire with his 1D bandmates – Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan – all in attendance. The X Factor‘s Simon Cowell, TV presenter James Corden and Kate Cassidy, Payne’s partner at the time of his attendance, were also part of the congregation.
An autopsy for Payne confirmed that he suffered internal and external bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries from his fall. His body was flown back to the U.K. earlier this month in preparation for the funeral. The singer’s body had previously been held by local authorities in order to complete toxicology and other lab tests to determine his cause of death.
Upon his passing, his family released a short statement, saying that “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.” His One Direction bandmates shared a joint statement following Payne’s passing, saying that they were “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.”
“In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” their message continued. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”
Earlier this month, three people were detained in connection to Payne’s fall, with Argentine police alleging that Payne was supplied drugs prior to his death. According to a translated copy of the toxicology report, in the days leading up to his death, Payne reportedly had “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his system. The investigation into his death is ongoing.
One Direction formed on TV show The X Factor in 2010, and released five studio albums before the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 to pursue solo projects. Payne released one studio album before his passing, 2019’s LP1, and was said to be readying a second prior to his passing.
Payne is survived by his parents, two sisters and his son with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, Bear, who was born in 2017.
A federal judge ordered prosecutors Tuesday not to use papers taken from the jail cell of Sean “Diddy” Combs until he rules on defense claims that they are trial preparation materials protected by attorney-client privilege.
Judge Arun Subramanian made his ruling at a Manhattan federal court hearing after lawyers fiercely disputed the circumstances and relevance of the seizure of 19 pages that were photographed by an investigator inside the cell of the music mogul.
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, is accused of coercing and abusing women for years with the aid of a network of associates and employees.
The seizure came during what the government has described as a multi-day sweep of all cells at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, intended to remove any weapons or contraband as an anti-violence measure.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said he may ask the judge to dismiss the indictment or force a recusal of prosecutors if the judge rules that the materials were obtained and used improperly.
Combs, who hugged his lawyers when he first entered the courtroom, carried a stack of papers as he was led away at the end of the hearing.
Agnifilo said he was unaware that the papers in Combs’ cell had been photographed by an investigator with the Bureau of Prisons and turned over to prosecutors until he saw them cited in written arguments opposing his $50 million bail proposal. A bail hearing is set for Friday.
He said two references to the papers were made as prosecutors argued that Combs has continued to commit crimes since his September arrest.
Prosecutors said Combs orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool, tried to publicly leak materials he thought would be helpful to his case and contacted potential witnesses through third parties.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Slavik said the seized materials were scrutinized by independent government lawyers who are walled off from the prosecution to determine if they were protected by attorney-client privilege.
They were not discussed with defense lawyers because some of them were deemed to pertain to a covert and continuing investigation of Combs, she said.
Slavik also said prosecutors had no contact with jail officials beforehand and gave no instructions regarding any search of Combs’ cell.
Some of the photographed pages contained a to-do list and inspirational quotes along with comments about birthdays, according to Slavik, while two excerpts pertained to Combs paying and finding damaging material about potential witnesses.
Agnifilo said, however, that even things that seem unrelated to the case are protected by attorney-client privilege. For instance, he said, attorneys have discussed with Combs prospective witnesses they might call.
“Every single thing” in the seized papers is subject to attorney-client privilege because Combs discussed them with lawyers, Agnifilo said.
“The government now knows potential defense witnesses for a May 5 trial,” he added. “This has been a complete government failure.”
The judge asked each side to submit written arguments in the coming weeks.
This story was originally published by The Associated Press.
Robbie Williams has penned an open letter to former Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith, following claims he made regarding Williams’ past drug use in new BBC docuseries Boybands Forever.
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Both the British pop icon and Martin-Smith appeared as talking heads in the first installment of the three-part series, which aired on Saturday (Nov. 16). The episode focused on the mental and financial struggles that members of Take That, East 17, A1 and Damage dealt with at the height of their popularity.
Martin-Smith managed Take That in the 1990s when Williams was a member of the group, before the latter quit in 1995 and went on to launch an enduring, successful career as a solo act. Across three decades, he has gone on to earn 13 No. 1s on the U.K Albums Chart and 18 BRIT Awards, including the prestigious BRITs Icon accolade in 2017.
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In the documentary, Williams addresses his history of drug use, saying that at one point he was made out to be “evil.” Martin-Smith goes on to say that the singer was “smart and quite clever” to blame his issues on being “in this band where he couldn’t have girlfriends or couldn’t go out.”
Williams also responded to these assertions via a lengthy statement posted to Instagram on Nov. 17. “I was equal parts terrified and excited to be sharing a screen with you again,” he said, addressing Martin-Smith. “Excited to see where we both are on this journey and terrified in case old emotions would be triggered and I’d still be in a place of anger, hurt of fear.
“As it happens, it would appear that time has done its thing and I guess the wisdom it brings has taken its mop to a few nooks and crannies here and there. I guess not every nook has been bleached, though.”
He then highlighted Martin-Smith’s comments about his drug use at the time. “My response to the warped world that surrounded me is solely my own. How I chose to self-medicate is and was something that I will be monitoring and dealing with for the whole of my life,” Williams wrote. “It’s part of my makeup and I would have the same malady had I been a taxi driver. I just got there quicker due to having the finances while trying in vain to counteract the turbulence of pop stardom’s matrix-bending washing machine.”
Encouraging Martin-Smith to take accountability for some of the struggles Take That faced behind the scenes, Williams continued: “Everyone will understand and appreciate that level of self-reflection. It’s OK to admit your shortcomings. No one is going to sue you for not knowing or understand[ing] the psychological effects everything was having on everyone.”
Martin-Smith has not yet responded to Williams’ open letter.
Williams’ comments follows a similar post he made about the late Liam Payne, remarking that boy bands need sufficient emotional support and that there needs to be a push for something to be “done in his name to make things better.” The One Direction star died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16.
Shortly after Payne’s death, a petition was launched calling for a new law to safeguard the mental well-being of young artists. It has currently received more than 149,000 signatures.
Elsewhere, the compilation soundtrack to Williams’ biopic Better Man will be released on Dec. 26 in the U.K. and Ireland, and on Jan. 17 in the U.S. and Canada. Featuring his greatest hits, Better Man will tell the story of Williams’ life from his childhood in Stoke-on-Trent, England, through to his fame with Take That and subsequent solo career. Williams will be played by a CGI monkey throughout the film directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman).
Through summer 2025, Williams will embark on a lengthy tour across the U.K. and Europe, including a night at London’s 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium. Support will come from Warrington rock band The Lottery Winners, as well as Rag ‘N’ Bone Man on select dates.
Cardi B has big plans for 2025, from a new album to a romantic conquest.
In a clip from a recent Instagram livestream hosted by the rapper, Cardi tells fans that she’s been “wilding out lately” but wants to “get [her] f–king life together.” “I have so much things coming next year,” she continued. “I know next year is gonna be my f–king year.”
The Bronx native went on to share her to-do list for the new year: “My album will be out. My secret businesses will be out. Hopefully next year I get a little boyfriend.”
Billboard has reached out to Cardi’s rep for comment.
Fans have been waiting on a new LP from Cardi for well over half a decade at this point, with 2018’s Billboard 200-topping debut album Invasion of Privacy remaining the entirety of her discography six and a half years later. She previously teased in October that her sophomore effort was “coming really, really soon” and confirmed that she was actively working on it in the studio.
But, as Cardi pointed out in her livestream, she’s been quite busy these past few years — 2024 in particular. On the personal front, she welcomed her third baby in September, just a couple weeks after filing for divorce for a second time from Offset. The exes — who have put each other on blast on social media multiple times since their spit — are also parents to daughter Kulture and son Wave.
On the professional front, the “WAP” artist has been spearheading her Whipshots business in between releasing a number of singles this year, including “Like What (Freestyle),” “Enough (Miami),” “Puntería” with Shakira and “Wanna Be” with Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla.
“This has been the most rudest year I’ve ever experienced,” Cardi summarized on her Live. “I don’t know what the f–k happened this year. I can’t even tell you. A b—h got knocked up, a b—h f–king fell in love, then fell out of love, then got a divorce … I’m going through a very different transition in my f–king life.”
Cardi has also been active in politics this year, championing Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and speaking at one of the VP’s final campaign rallies Nov. 1. When Harris ended up losing to Donald Trump, the rapper shared a lengthy message on Instagram, writing, “To Vice President Kamala, no matter what they’ve said to bring you down or belittle your run for presidency they can never say you didn’t run your race with honesty and with integrity!”
“This may not mean much but I am so proud of you!” she added at the time. “No one has ever made me change my mind, and you did! I never thought I would see the day that a woman of color would be running for the President of the United States, but you have shown me, shown my daughters and women across the country that anything is possible.”
An unnamed “celebrity” has filed a civil extortion lawsuit against Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who reps more than 100 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ alleged abuse victims — claiming the lawyer is threatening to file a lawsuit containing “wildly false horrific allegations” if the anonymous bigwig doesn’t pay up.
In a lawsuit filed Monday (Nov. 18) in Los Angeles, lawyers for a “high-profile” public figure identified only as “John Doe” claim that Buzbee is “shamelessly attempting to extort exorbitant sums from him” by threatening to “unleash entirely fabricated and malicious allegations of sexual assault.”
“This is textbook extortion,” writes the celebrity’s attorneys, who hail from the prominent law firm Quinn Emanuel. “Buzbee pretends to be speaking truth to power, but that is far from the truth.”
Buzbee allegedly contacted the man earlier this month with “vile” false claims: That he had “raped multiple minors, both male and female, who had been drugged at parties hosted by Combs.” If the celebrity did not agree to a “confidential mediation,” Buzbee allegedly warned he would “take a different course.”
“Plaintiff presently faces a gun to his head,” the lawsuit reads. “Either repeatedly pay an exorbitant sum of money … or else face the threat of an untold number of civil suits and financial and personal ruin.”
In a statement to Billboard on Monday, Buzbee said he and his firm “won’t allow the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers intimidate or silence sexual survivors” and warned that a lawsuit against the unnamed plaintiff was looming.
“It is obvious that the frivolous lawsuit filed against my firm is an aggressive attempt to intimidate or silence me and ultimately my clients,” Buzbee wrote. “That effort is a gross miscalculation. I am a US Marine. I won’t be silenced or intimidated. Neither will my clients. Since our professional efforts at resolution obviously have failed, we will instead disclose the demand letters we sent at the time we filed suit.”
Combs has faced a flood of abuse accusations over the past year, starting with civil lawsuits and followed by a bombshell federal indictment in September, in which prosecutors allege he ran a sprawling criminal operation for years aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.”
Weeks after the indictment, Buzbee joined the fray by holding a press conference in which he claimed to represent 120 individuals who had been victimized by Combs and threatened a flood of litigation. He has since filed more than a dozen such lawsuits, all on behalf of unnamed Doe plaintiffs.
At the time, Buzbee explicitly warned that he would name others: “We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors.” And later, in an interview with TMZ, he said several such celebrities had settled on private terms to remain anonymous.
In Monday’s complaint, the unnamed celebrity said those efforts represented a “shakedown” and a “cynical extortion scheme” — one in which Buzbee “capitalizes on the bravery of those victims who came forward” against Combs to win unearned settlements from “innocent celebrities, politicians, and business people.”
“Defendants devised a scheme to obtain payments through the use of coercive threats from anyone with any ties to Combs — no matter how remote,” lawyers for the unnamed plaintiff write. “Defendants claim to be investigating the facts, but the reality is they are finding deep pockets and trying to smear all of them with the same brush.”
The unusual episode — a mysterious celebrity plaintiff claiming they’re being extorted with baseless abuse allegations — echoes a similar incident last month involving Garth Brooks. In that case, Brooks filed an anonymous lawsuit as “John Doe” seeking a federal court order to block the publication of the allegations. But the accuser eventually filed their abuse lawsuit against Brooks in a separate court weeks later.