Elton John and Bernie Taupin to receive the 2024 Gershwin Prize for pop music

NEW YORK — The songwriters who gave us “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer” and “Rocket Man” will add to their stuffed awards shelf later this year when Elton John and Bernie Taupin are awarded the Gershwin Prize. The Library of Congress said Tuesday that songwriter-performer John and lyricist Taupin will receive the library’s Gershwin Prize for … Read more

Ed Sheeran shocks fans with bizarre food video in Osaka, Japan

Ed Sheeran is an adventurous guy when it comes to food. The singer-songwriter shocked some of his fans by uploading a video of himself trying an unusual delicacy while on tour in Osaka, Japan. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ed Sheeran’s food tour of Osaka. Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for … Read more

Documentary on ‘We Are the World’ goes deep inside recording session of starry 1985 charity single

NEW YORK — Thirty-nine years ago, the biggest music stars in the world crammed into a recording studio in Los Angeles for an all-night session that they hoped might alter music history. “We Are the World” was a 1985 charity single for African famine relief that included the voices of Michael Jackson, Willie Nelson, Bob … Read more

Regional Mexican music is crossing borders and going global. Here’s how it happened

MEXICO CITY — Regional Mexican music — a catchall term that encompasses mariachi, banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño and other genres — has become a global phenomenon, topping music charts and reaching new audiences as it crosses borders. While it has been around the U.S. for decades, with the late Selena Quintanilla weaving pop, disco and … Read more

A trial in Jam Master Jay’s 2002 killing is starting, and testing his anti-drug image

NEW YORK — For almost two decades, the 2002 killing of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay stood as one of the hip-hop world’s most infamous and elusive crimes, one of three long-unsolved slayings of major rap stars. Now Jay’s case is the first of those killings to go to trial. Opening statements are set for Monday … Read more

SZA, Swift and Bridgers top the Grammy list. AP writers predict who will win on music’s big night

LOS ANGELES — Women lead the major categories at the Grammys this year – names like SZA, Taylor Swift, Victoria Monét, Phoebe Bridgers, Olivia Rodrigo and Brandy Clark top the list. But who will take home music’s most coveted trophies on Feb. 4? Associated Press Music Writer Maria Sherman and Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. … Read more

If Anyone Can Stop the Coming AI Hellscape, It’s Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has proven herself capable of many things, including toppling monopolies and making mass transit cool again, but her latest endeavor—taking on artificial intelligence—is perhaps her most ambitious yet.  Sexually explicit AI-generated images of Swift have been circulating on social media this week, with one X post attracting more than 45 million views. While … Read more

Microsoft CEO responds to AI-generated Taylor Swift fake nude images

Microsoft has to “move fast” on combatting non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake images after AI-generated fake nude pictures of Taylor Swift went viral this week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Friday. In an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, Nadella commented on the “alarming and terrible” deepfake images of Swift posted on X that by … Read more

Melanie Safka, beloved 70s singer-songwriter, dead at 76

Seventies singer-songwriter Melanie Safka, professionally known simply as Melanie, has died at 76. The singer behind songs such as Brand New Key, Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) and Alexander Beetle died peacefully at home, her family confirmed in a statement. A cause of death for the singer, whose breakthrough came at the famous 1969 … Read more