John Lodge, singer and bassist of Moody Blues during classic era, dies at 82
LONDON (AP) — John Lodge, the singer and bassist of The Moody Blues, has died at 82. His family announced Friday that Lodge died suddenly and unexpectedly. He was surrounded by loved ones and the music of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. Lodge joined the band in 1966 and remained until they stopped performing live in 2018. He featured on iconic albums like “Days Of Future Passed” and “In Search Of The Lost Chord.” The band embraced a pop sound with the 1977 album “Octave.” Lodge continued recording with the group until their final studio album in 2003.
Judge tosses out Drake's defamation lawsuit against label over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has tossed out a defamation lawsuit Drake brought against Universal Music Group over a Kendrick Lamar dis track. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas rejected the lawsuit Thursday in a written opinion, saying the purportedly libelous words were opinion. The January lawsuit alleged that UMG published and promoted Lamar’s dis track “Not Like Us” even though it included false pedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice. Lamar was not named in the lawsuit. Universal Music Group is the parent record label for both artists. It denied the allegations. Drake's lawyers say they will appeal.
Hungarian master of absurdist excess László Krasznahorkai wins Nobel literature prize
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai has won the Nobel Prize in literature for work that upholds the power of art in the midst of “apocalyptic terror.” Some of his novels consist of just one long sentence. Several, including his debut “Satantango,” have been adapted into films. The Nobel judges on Thursday called Krasznahorkai “a great epic writer” whose work “is characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess.” The 71-year-old author is the first Hungarian winner of the Nobel literature prize since 2002. Krasznahorkai said he was “calm and very nervous” about the prize. It comes with an award of more than $1 million.
‘A Minecraft Movie’ sequel is being built for 2027
Warner Bros. Pictures has announced a sequel to “A Minecraft Movie,” set for release in July 2027. Jared Hess is returning to direct and co-write the film, with Jason Momoa among its producers. Details about the plot and cast are still under wraps. “A Minecraft Movie,” starring Momoa and Jack Black, has been a massive success. It remains the highest-earning film of the year at the North American box office, with $424 million in domestic ticket sales. Globally, it’s approaching $1 billion, second only to the Chinese blockbuster “Ne Zha II.”
'The Last Frontier' TV series: A plane crash, a jailbreak and CIA secrets unfold in freezing Alaska
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple TV+ is launching a new series called “The Last Frontier.” It kicks off with a plane crash in remote Alaska, revealing a group of federal inmates on board. The show is described as a mix of “Con Air” and “The Fugitive.” Showrunner Jon Bokenkamp keeps the action intense, aiming to avoid boring the audience. Jason Clarke stars as a U.S. Marshal dealing with a jailbreak at 30,000 feet. The series explores themes of community and survival in rural America. Each episode focuses on a different inmate while advancing a larger CIA conspiracy storyline.
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Movie Review: Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst bring humanity to true-crime tale ‘Roofman’
The new Channing Tatum movie “Roofman” was inspired by stranger-than-fiction real events. Tatum stars as a prison escapee who lived in a Toys “R” Us for six months. Kirsten Dunst plays his girlfriend Leigh who has no idea about his double life. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that it is best experienced as a movie, where two likable actors give fine performances in a sweetly humane story, and not through the lens of the real events. “Roofman,” a Paramount Pictures release, is rated R and in theaters Friday.
Common's journey from Bulls ball boy to NBA theme song composer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Common has teamed up with collaborators to compose "Victory," the official theme for NBA on Prime. The streaming platform made the announcement Thursday. The song will be part of Amazon’s first exclusive NBA season. Common, along with Karriem Riggins and James Poyser, created three versions of the score, including orchestral, hip-hop, and rock. The theme will debut on October 24 during Prime Video’s opening-night doubleheader. Common, a former Chicago Bulls ball boy, sees this as a dream fulfilled. The collaborators hope "Victory" resonates for generations and inspires more artists of color in sports scoring.
Kirkus Prize winners include a novel on identity, a history of Iran and an ode to belly buttons
NEW YORK (AP) — Kirkus Prize judges have announced their winners for this year, awarding $50,000 in each of three categories. Lucas Schaefer's novel "The Slip," about a man's search for his missing nephew, won for fiction. Scott Anderson's "King of Kings," which explores the Iranian Revolution, took the nonfiction prize. Thao Lam's picture book "Everybelly," celebrating belly buttons, won for young readers' literature. The prizes, established in 2014, are overseen by Kirkus Reviews. Editor-in-chief Tom Beer praised the winners for their messages on community, self-transformation, and history. Finalists included works by Angela Flournoy, Nicholas Boggs and Arundhati Roy.
Bad Bunny's music streams soar since 2026 Super Bowl halftime show news
NEW YORK (AP) — Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s music catalog has seen a jump in streams since his 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance was announced last week. That's according to the industry data and analytics company Luminate. They found that Latin music is primarily consumed via streaming. And Bad Bunny saw a 26% increase in on-demand streams in the United States when comparing the week before the announcement to the week that followed. That’s a bump of nearly 50 million streams. He earned 173 million streams from Sept. 19 to 27. After the announcement, it jumped to 218.5 million streams from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6.
Dolly Parton responds to concerns about her health: 'I'm not dying'
NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton says not to worry, she “ain't dead yet." That's what the country superstar shared in a video on social media Wednesday following public speculation about her health. Late last month Parton postponed her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years, citing “health challenges.” She was scheduled to perform six shows in December. Her dates have been moved to next year, in Sept. 2026. She did not provide additional details. On Tuesday, a Facebook posted shared by her sister Freida Parton escalated concerns around Parton’s health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Dolly Parton has clarified that her doctors say she is dealing with nothing major.
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