One of Eminem’s former employees has confessed to illegally leaking over two dozen of the rapper’s unreleased songs.

The man—48-year-old Joseph Strange of Holly, MI—worked at Eminem’s music studio for 14 years. He was charged in the music leak case back in March 2025. On Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, Strange pleaded guilty to criminal infringement of a copyright.

“Joseph Strange abused a position of trust to unlawfully copy and sell unreleased music belonging to Eminem, profiting from works that were not yet authorized for public distribution,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“His conduct undermined both legal and artistic rights. The Criminal Division remains committed to protecting intellectual property, holding accountable those who seek to profit from theft of creative content, and working with our law enforcement partners to deter and disrupt these crimes.”

Eminem’s recording studio staff member, Joseph Strange, leaked more than two dozen songs

Strange worked at Eminem’s studio in Ferndale, Michigan, from 2007 to 2021, approximately. His job responsibilities included setting up and operating computer systems that stored Eminem’s music. This gave Strange tremendous access to password-protected hard drives. The music contained on the hard drives was unfinished and not intended to be shared publicly.

According to a Department of Justice press release, Strange took some of the songs without permission and sold them.

“At some point Strange—without authority—copied 10 or more audio files of music and material in various stages of development from one or more of these drives,” the DOJ stated. “Between July and August of 2024, Strange sold and transmitted ten or more of these music files to purchasers via the internet for a total of approximately $50,000. Strange did so without Mathers’s knowledge or authorization.”

The tracks that Strange stole eventually landed on streaming services without Eminem’s knowledge. Data provided by multiple platforms indicated that they had been accessed over 8 million times. The infringement amount reportedly totaled roughly $750,000.

Previously, a rep for Eminem said the situation did “significant damage” to the “Real Slim Shady” rapper’s legacy and integrity.

Joseph Strange is reportedly “remorseful” for the role he played in leaking Eminem’s music.

Following the guilty plea, Strange’s attorney told PEOPLE that his client has “tremendous remorse” over the situation. However, he noted that it is a “far more complicated and nuanced matter than a man just unabashedly stealing.”

“Joe Strange is a good man whose children have suffered greatly in all of this. The hyperbolic commentary from the Justice Department and others has not only subjected my client’s family to the anonymous mob, but the words also bear little resemblance to the facts of the case,” Strange’s lawyer continued.

“It is a far more complicated and nuanced matter than a man just unabashedly stealing. Nevertheless, my client has taken accountability for what he has done, has tremendous remorse for what has happened to his family, and has great faith, as do I, in the judges of our district to see this case for what it is,” the attorney added.

Strange is set to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2027. He faces a maximum of five years in prison.

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Is whimsigoth a real thing? Depends on who you ask, but there’s no denying how well a lot of 90s songs fit with the aesthetic. These three in particular are perfect for a 90s whimsigoth fall as the weather finally starts to realize what time of year it is right now.

“building a Mystery” by Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan released “Building a Mystery” on her 1997 album Surfacing. Its charming, whimsical premise backed by McLachlan’s ethereal vocals made the song an immediate hit. It became Canada’s best-selling single of 1997, and reached No. 13 in the U.S. McLachlan ultimately reigned in the 90s with a folksy, angelic presence that remained accessible.

“Building a Mystery” is a great song for those wanting a whimsigoth fall. It’s mysterious, intriguing, and almost alchemical in the way it presents its themes. According to McLachlan, it’s about everyone having insecurities they try to hide. However, being truly yourself is more interesting than any of those perceived flaws. In this way, “Building a Mystery” almost has a warmth to it, perfect for keeping the autumn chill away.

“Duvet” by Bôa

“Duvet” appeared on Bôa’s 1998 album Twilight, and it’s a song that existed simultaneously of its time and decades ahead. Hearing “Duvet” without knowing it came out in the 90s, it’s easy to assume it’s way more recent. Like, maybe 2023 recent. Granted, its viral moment on TikTok that year may have something to do with that.

But really, “Duvet” has an otherworldly quality to it that takes it out of time all on its own. Jasmine Rogers’ ethereal vocals puts Bôa on par with Mazzy Star and The Cranberries, their hazy, jangly, dreamlike quality amplified into something truly timeless. Overall, this song is amazing for the whimsigoth atmosphere of rainy fall days.

“How Soon Is Now” by Love Spit Love

Love Spit Love, formed by Psychedelic Furs vocalist Richard Butler, covered The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now” in 1996. It appeared on the soundtrack for The Craft, also a great option for a whimsigoth fall with a little more attitude. Similarly, this “How Soon Is Now” cover has more bite than the original.

However, its attitude doesn’t take away from its delightful whimsy. Butler’s languid, mercurial vocals rough it up a bit, but it still possesses the dreaminess of the original. A couple years later, Love Spit Love’s “How Soon Is Now” became the opening theme to Charmed, yet another perfect moment for 90s whimsigoth atmosphere.

Photo by Kelly Buck

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In February 2023, South African rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes was shot and killed outside of a restaurant in Durban, a city in South Africa. Unrelated to his own death in 2023, Forbes was investigated in connection with the death of his fiancée, Anele “Nellie” Tembe, two years earlier.

On April 11, 2021, Tembe fell from the 10th floor of the Pepperclub Hotel in Cape Town. Initially, Forbes investigated this death, which was primarily treated as a suicide or unnatural death. In June 2022, the National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute anyone in the case. They returned the case docket to the investigating police for further review. Following this, Tembe’s family has vehemently disputed this suicide ruling. The family has alleged that Forbes pushed Tembe from the balcony, cleaning up blood and evidence in the room afterward. Forbes had publicly denied his involvement in Tembe’s death.

Tembe’s family has successfully pressured the court to open a formal judicial inquest into her death. Hearings have taken place in recent months, with the most recent being held on October 20, 2026.

Cape Town DOCTORS’ Testimony May INDICATE Foul Play

In the hearing on October 20, the doctor who examined rapper AKA right after Tembe’s death revealed information about the rapper’s injuries. The doctor claims to have found fresh scratches and bruises on the rapper. In the hearing reported through Times Live, the doctor stated, “The physical examination was done on the patient after exposing his full body. He had many fresh scratch marks. It was quite a tense examination. He wasn’t answering all my questions as I was putting them to him. We convinced him to undress so we could go through the full-body examination. I could understand that at that particular time, he was a bit stressed and agitated. So, we couldn’t get a proper history of how he got his bruises.”

Just one day before the hearing, Forbes’ father questioned this report, as well as the location of the marks on his son’s body. He questioned why no one is focused on the gaps in the medical report and this doctor’s claims. Forbes’ father attended the hearing on Monday. Times Live reports that he claimed, “There are things happening at this inquest where I feel the right facts are not being put on the table, and what’s being put on the table is not being questioned in terms of how accurate it is.”

The next date of this formal inquest has been postponed until November 17, 2026. These proceedings were adjourned to allow further forensic testimony from forensic, medical, and toxicology experts.

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Yung Gravy is no stranger to causing a stir. Maybe one of his wildest moments was when he briefly dated Addison Rae’s mom, Sheri Easterling, back in 2022. The pair made a big splash when they showed up at the MTV VMAs together.

The “oops!” rapper reflected on this time of his life during an October 2026 appearance on Bunnie X’s podcast, Dumb Blonde. At one point, Bunnie asked Gravy if he and Rae ever spoke about him dating her mother. He confessed that, while they eventually did, he didn’t initially discuss his plans with her.

“Yes,” he replied. “At the time, I mean, I was so busy that I didn’t even, like, ask.” Gravy explained that he feels like he could have given Rae a more proper heads-up. “I didn’t really think that I should ask for permission. Which, I guess, I don’t know if I needed it, because her mom can do her own thing. But like afterwards, [Rae] was like, not happy about it.”

Yung Gravy breifly dated Addison Rae’s mom in 2022

“Time went on,” he continued. “I think a couple months later I talked to her, I’m like, ‘Yo, sorry if that made you—put you in a rough spot or whatever.’ Because it did bring more attention to her dad doing all this s**t. They were already being all crazy, but she was fine with it in the end.” Not long after Adison Rae’s parents divorced, her dad—Monty Lopez—reportedly posted some uncomfortable public messages to Gravy and Easterling on social media.

Regarding the 2022 VMAs date that Yung Gravy and Easterling had, the rapper explained, “I didn’t really think it would go that big. It started because—just at that time, the algorithm or whatever was really working well for me if I just hit on moms, just stitching videos. It was so easy. I miss those days. Stitch a video, hit on a famous mom, it blows up.”

After Easterling’s divorce, they “just played back and forth a bunch, and people loved it,” Gravy clarified.

“Then I started actually just talking to her on the phone. She’s really cool. So when I got asked to perform at the VMAs, her ex-husband had been talking s**t a ton,” Gravy remembered, “and was like trying to get me to go fight him.”

Yung Gravy eventually spoke candidly with Addison Rae about his relationship with her mother

“I was like, I’m above that,” the rapper admitted. “I’m not trying to actually take time to respond to this guy. I’m not gonna have internet beef. But then, when I had the opportunity to perform at the VMAs, I was like, ‘Well, bringing his ex-wife as a date would be cool.'”

Ultimately, the pair kind of hit it off, and ended up dating for a short time.

“That was really big,” he said, “I mean, obviously it’s Addison Rae’s mom, and she’s massive too, but we were kinda like PDA aggressive at the show and everything.”

“Like it was—I think for both of us it was a little bit of a premeditated PR move, but it was also just fun. It was kind of like a little bit of revenge for her; it was kind of like just a good social moment for me. I’m single at the time, and then we actually had a blast. We were together in New York for three days, just like walked around town.”

Finally, when asked if he and Easterling ever slept together, Yung Gravy confirmed that they did.

Photo by Tinseltown/Shutterstock

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Talking Heads haven’t collaborated on a project, music or otherwise, in 40 years. They started appearing together again after decades during the 2023 re-release of their concert film Stop Making Sense, but there hasn’t been any new Talking Heads work in a long time.

That changes on May 18, 2027, when the band’s new coffee table book, Talking Heads: New Feeling, becomes available. In a rare appearance, all four members of the band came together to discuss the book. The video was then posted on the social media page for Abrams Books, the publisher of New Feeling.

David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Jerry Harrison, and Chris Frantz sat together in a quad, passing the impressive book around. They each shared what it means that they’re coming together now to document 50 years of their artistic lives. Notably, the book coincides with the 50th anniversary of their debut album, Talking Heads: 77.

Talking Heads Discuss New Collaborative Book of Archival Material and Personal Stories

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Tina Weymouth noted the unique situation of all four of them coming together “to write and curate the comprehensive coffee-table book”. A collaborative effort from the Talking Heads hasn’t occurred in some time, as longtime fans surely know. The book is also unique because some of the content has never been seen by anyone other than the band.

“For this book, we pulled out handwritten lyrics, original album sketches, and private photos, some of which haven’t left our archive in over 40 years,” said Jerry Harrison.

Chris Frantz described the book as “the story of three art students who met at the Rhode Island School of Design and found their way to C.B.G.B., the heart of New York’s punk and emerging new-wave scene in the 1970s.”

New Feelings tracks the Talking Heads through their art school beginnings, into their prime years, and beyond. It follows the band through interpersonal turmoil and the break up, telling their stories from the start all the way to the 2023 Stop Making Sense re-issue. It’s a truly unique and comprehensive look at their creative process through handwritten lyrics to songs like “Psycho Killer” and “Life During Wartime”.

Among the never-before-seen photos, lyric sheets, and other ephemera, each member wrote a personal essay. Truly, Talking Heads: New Feeling sounds like a prize for any lifetime Talking Heads fan.

Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns

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On January 30, 2023, Tampa rapper Ace NH shot and killed his 22-year-old girlfriend, Alana Sims. The 22-year-old was pregnant at the time with a child that was originally believed to be the rapper’s. DNA evidence later indicated that the child wasn’t his. Sims also had an 18-month-old toddler in a nearby car seat during the shooting. The toddler was unharmed in the incident. Ace NH, whose real name is Billy Adams III, had recently been acquitted of an unrelated double-murder case just before the murder. He was arrested on February 8, 2023, for first-degree murder and killing the unborn child.

Prosecutors believe Adams lured Sims to the location because he wanted to continue a relationship with another woman. Initially, he believed the unborn child was his. In September 2026, Adams was found guilty of killing Sims and her unborn child. Following this conviction, an 8 to 4 vote from the jury recommended the death penalty.

Adams Asks The Judge For The Death Penalty

Sometime in October 2026, Adams penned a letter to Judge Mark Wolfe, requesting the death penalty, going against what his defense team has advised. In the letter, as reported by Fox 13 out of Tampa, the rapper stated, “I don’t want my lawyers to present any mitigation or arguments at this hearing, and I am asking this court to sentence me to what the jury voted for.” He also added, “I don’t have a problem with the death penalty.”

He says it’s his own decision despite what his defense has advised. His decision isn’t uncommon in cases like this. The defense urged the jury to consider life without parole for the murder of the unborn child. They did, however, call for life without parole on the count of murder for Sims. For the count of murder of the unborn child, the jury is considering the death penalty.

Billy Adams III, known by his stage name Ace NH, will be sentenced on December 1, 2026. Before his 2023 arrest, Ace NH released four studio albums in a span of three years. His final album, Underground Icon, was released on February 1, 2026, just two days after the murders and only seven days before his arrest.

Photo credit: @acenh7111 via YouTube

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These three post-punk songs dabble in surrealism, absurdity, and avant-garde spoken word performance art. But they’re also great for a low-brow laugh about barking husbands and madman tortoises and East German rabbits.

“The Devil Lives In My Husband’s Body” by Pulsallama

Pulsallama was a short-lived all-female, 12-piece percussion post-punk/no wave band that only released two singles in their three years together. “The Devil Lives in My Husband’s Body” released in 1982, and the music video was in heavy rotation on MTV. Pulsallama’s performance art style came from the fact that many of its members were performance artists, such as Ann Magnuson and Wendy Wild. As a whole, the band was a well-known presence in the New York scene.

“The Devil Lives in My Husband’s Body” is primarily a spoken word track interspersed with a haunting chorus. Told from the perspective of a housewife, she describes her husband’s sudden habit of barking in the basement. He has an episode during a neighborhood cook out, and his wife sends him to an institution. But not before consulting with the witch who lives next door. Still, in the end, it turns out her husband isn’t possessed by the devil. Instead he has a neurological disorder that’ll make him bark for the rest of his life. Tragically, as the wife exclaims, “Our insurance doesn’t cover it!”

“My Pal the Tortoise” by Thinking Fellers Union Local 282

“My Pal the Tortoise” was released on Thinking Fellers Union Local 282’s 1994 album Strangers From the Universe. The track opens the album with a burst of energy, much like the titular and unconventional tortoise. This song describes the most bada** tortoise that ever lived. Here’s a guy who “goes like crazy” and has “hot tarts swinging under painted umbrellas” falling to his mouth from the trees.

Lyrically, “My Pal the Tortoise” is structured as questions and answers. Questions like “how fast does he go?”, “What about the cut of his jib?”, and “Who does he see on nights by the river?”. The most important question comes in the chorus, asking “Does he live the life of a madman?”. In short, “Yes, he lives the life of a madman.”

“What About Us?” by The Fall

English post-punk band The Fall released “What About Us?” on their 2005 album Fall Heads Roll. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes since its inception in 1976, but their substantial discography reflects the influences of each iteration. “What About Us?” is an energetic post-punk track that contrasts with Mark E. Smith’s drawling vocals.

Lyrically, “What About Us?” features some surreal images studded with nonsensical vocalizations. However, lines like “I am a rabbit from East Germany” and “What about us, Shipman?” refer to actual historical moments. What makes the song interesting is how these two things, which had no actual relation to each other as far as we know, create a complete story.

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Spotify told investors its rollout of QR code verification to ensure Family Plan members live in the same household is not a "crackdown," just a routine improvement.

On November 5, 2022, Y2K pop star Aaron Carter died at 34 at his home in Lancaster, California. The singer was found unresponsive in his bathtub by a housekeeper. His death was attributed to a combination of inhaling the compressed-air chemical difluoroethane and ingesting the prescription sedative alprazolam, known as Xanax. Carter’s family claims that he received hydrocodone, oxycodone, and Xanax without medical justification. Specifically, the family has claimed that Walgreens willingly overprescribed the pop star. In May 2026, the family confidentially settled with Amen Clinic and Dr. John Faber. But the suit doesn’t stop there.

Now, in October 2026, Carter’s family has reached a new settlement. This time, it’s with Walgreens and Santa Monica Medical Plaza Pharmacy. Still, a lawsuit remains open against Carter’s former dentist, Dr. Jason Mirabile. In the case against Walgreens and the Santa Monica Pharmacy, the wrongful death suit was filed on behalf of Carter’s toddler son. Princeton Lyric Carter is now four years old, born on November 22, 2021. He was only one when his father was found unresponsive.

Their estate lawyer, Marc Lazo, released a statement through Rolling Stone. “We are pleased to have reached a mutually agreed-upon resolution with the pharmacy defendants. While the terms of the settlement remain confidential, we are satisfied that the matter has been resolved as to those parties and appreciate the opportunity to bring this matter to a conclusion for the sake of Mr. Carter’s young son.”

Background On The Late Singer

In March 1997, Aaron Carter became an overnight sensation. The kind of stardom that you’d read about in magazines. Carter was only nine years old when he was put on stage in Berlin, Germany, to open for the boy band, the Backstreet Boys. His older brother, Nick Carter, was a member of the iconic Y2K group. It was mostly a joke, a playful stunt, to have the 9-year-old open for the group. Instead, it turned him into a solo pop star overnight. He instantly landed a major recording contract and released a self-titled debut, released in December 1997.

Though his debut was a global hit, in the US, his follow-up album, Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) became a massive hit in 2000. Well into the 2000s, Carter was one of the most recognizable pop stars in the country. Aside from his music career, Carter expanded into television and Broadway as well and continued to perform until his death in 2022.

Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage

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50 Cent has lots of wild stories from his career. One he recently recalled involves the late DMX and a terrifying car ride.

During an October 2026 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, 50 reflected on a time he and DMX worked together. The pair had been in a New York City recording studio when DMX got a little restless.

“And we found the track, and he was like, ‘Yo, come on, let’s just go get our head right.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, let’s just go,’” 50 remembered. Notably, 50 didn’t specify a time period. However, he and DMX did collab on the 2003 song “Shot Down,” which also featured Styles P.

50 Cent recalled DMX driving him the wrong direction down a one-way street

After DMX suggested getting out of the studio, the pair went down to DMX’s vehicle. 50 Cent believed they were just gonna sit and listen to some tracks. However, the Ruff Ryders rapper had different plans.

“And he started driving. He drove me down a one-way. Downtown Manhattan, he went down a one-way, the wrong way,” 50 Cent shared. “I said, ‘We gonna die in this mother.’ He continued, “You said, ‘Get my head right.’ We was in the car; he was wild. He would just do the craziest stuff.”

The two eventually returned to the studio in one piece. Only now, 50 Cent had some demands that did not involve dangerous activities. “When we got back there,” he said, “I was like, ‘Yo, I’m not doing nothing but rap, all right? No one ask me for nothing, I don’t want nothing. Let’s just rap.’”

50 Cent is producing a podcast about the life of DMX

DMX died in April 2021. He was 50 years old. After his passing, the medical examiner ruled his death due to a cocaine-induced heart attack, which led to brain failure.

Coincidentally, 50 Cent is producing a podcast series about the life of DMX. Dubbed Look Thru My Eyes: Becoming DMX, the iHeartPodcasts/G-Unit Audio series is hosted by Jadakiss. It will follow the early years of DMX—real name Earl Simmons—as he was a young Yonkers rapper on the rise.

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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There just aren’t many artists showing up for their fans like Miley Cyrus. She proved this recently by helping a woman shave her head after a cancer diagnosis.

Over on TikTok, a user named Cashjacobs posted that doctors discovered she had stage 3 breast cancer. Understandably, this would require treatment. Amidst medical intervention, however, she had tickets to see Miley at the Hollywood Bowl. Taking to her social media page, Cash made a plea for Miley to be the one to shave her head.

It was unclear if the big moment actually happened. Until Oct. 21, 2026, when Cash share a 2+ minute video of them meeting backstage at Miley;s show, and the pop start shaving Cash’s head. Check it out below.

In the post caption, Cash opened up about the experience. “They say don’t meet your idols. Well, I did. And it was everything and more,” she penned. Cash went on to share that Miley went above and beyond to make sure she made it to the singer’s second Hollywood Bowl concert.

Miley Cyrus met with a fan from TikTok and shaved her head backstage at the Hollywood Bowl

“Her music has always lifted me in some of the hardest times of my life,” she later added. “And when they pass, I can listen to her songs and be reminded that I got through it and came out stronger. Between major depressive episodes and finding out I have stage 3 breast cancer.”

“I am lucky enough to have reached her and her team and been given this opportunity of a lifetime. And that’s not to be said without thanking the power of the internet and all the people that helped me make this wish come true. UNREAL,” Cash continued.

Praising the pop star’s kindness, Cash wrote, “Miley is the softest, coolest, KINDEST, and most genuine human being I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting and spending time with. And not to mention her SHAVING MY F***ING HEAD!!!!! WHAT?!?”

Cash then thanked so many people who helped make the moment happen, including Miley.

“Lastly, thank you, Miley Cyrus,” she wrote. “For making me feel safe and comfortable, for giving me your time, and for being exactly who you are. It is a huge gift to continue to watch you grow, and you are forever my biggest inspiration. Stay soft and strong.”

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

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Fontaines D.C. released their latest album, Dopamine Chamber, on October 16, 2026, and in a situation frontman Grian Chatten called “ironic”, they’ve found themselves in an AI controversy. The band was recently blindsided by the news that someone used AI somewhere in the process of making the “Marianne” video.

“I woke up at like 5:30 a.m. the day after the video came out, and I saw an article that said there was AI used in the video,” Chatten told the Los Angeles Times. “I called our management, and I was like, ‘What the f**k, is this true?’ and it turned out that there was some AI used in like the workflow or the postproduction.”

Chatten was adamant that the band doesn’t condone AI in any capacity. He stated that they’re going to add a clause in future contracts that prohibits the technology. What’s even more shocking than its use was that, apparently, no one knew about it.

Still, the “Marianne” video was completely human-made, said Chatten. “So all those main scenes and main effects and stuff were VFX and prosthetics,” he clarified. “Over 110 people worked on the thing. It was a real huge human effort.”

Fontaines DC Frontman Hoped to Discuss Opinions of AI in Context of New Album

Grian Chatten noted that he’d looked forward to discussing his stance on AI in upcoming interviews about the album. Unfortunately, this incident kind of beat him to it, which he said “f***ing sucked.” Speaking with the L.A. Times, Chatten further explained what happened.

“Somewhere in the process, someone from the VFX team I guess used some kind of AI in the workflow,” he said. “And none of us were told about it. Apparently, not even our label or our management were told about it and it was a real shock.”

He added, “We’re gonna have it written into our contracts going forward that it can’t be in our music videos. You know what I mean? I don’t condone it.”

The entire situation turns darkly ironic in the context of Dopamine Chamber‘s central themes. Chatten explained that the latest Fontaines D.C. album is a commentary on society’s reliance on technology, social media, and, yes, AI. Finding themselves in an AI scandal further cemented their negative feelings toward the technology.

“I think it’s f***ing terrifying,” Chatten said when asked his opinion of AI. “I was watching a Robin Williams scene from Dead Poets Society when he talks about poetry, literature. These are the things that we stay alive for, and well, that’s exactly what AI threatens to rob from the human race.

“AI is literally rendering our souls obsolete and I think that is true death,” he continued. “A lot of people say, ‘It’s here, we have to deal with it.'” Chatten’s response to that argument? “We should just shut it off. It always ends here. Every conversation [about AI] just ends grim. This is like every conversation with my dad over the last three years about it. It makes it tough to be alive, doesn’t it?”

Photo by Kieran Frost/Redferns

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The category is: announcements that sound like high school emo kid fever dreams, and the answer is: Hot Topic is launching an in-store concert series. That’s right, the Hollywood-based flagship store is going full Tiny Desk. Except with racks of Tripp jeans where a tiny desk would be.

Actually, Hot Topic Live will take place in a custom built studio space within the flagship store. But the alternative retailer is incorporating familiar elements from the store itself. Bands will perform in an intimate setting against a backdrop of band t-shirts, recreating the wall of shirts we know and love from actual Hot Topic stores.

In addition to the live performances, the series will include quick Q&As with the bands. They will also get to share the stories behind their t-shirts on the wall. So many of us fondly remember heading to the back of our local Hot Topic to gaze up at the wall of band tees, trying to decide which one to get. Including that aspect in the performance space was a smart move on Hot Topic’s part.

Pierce the Veil Kick Off Hot Topic Music Series Against Familiar Backdrop of Band Tees

An even smarter move might be bringing in Pierce the Veil for the inaugural performance. The band has had a long relationship with Hot Topic, so having them kick off the new endeavor seems like a no-brainer.

“We’re excited to kick things off as the first band to perform for Hot Topic Live,” said Pierce the Veil’s Vic Fuentes, per Billboard. “Our band has grown up with Hot Topic since the very beginning, so it’s really cool to see them create a new space for alternative artists like us to bring our songs to life for the fans.”

Pierce the Veil’s performance had great energy within the small space, filling up the room with their familiar sound. Fuentes called the session “fun and loose,” noting that the entire experience felt intimate and intentional.

Watching the band perform in general, Hot Topic Live seems like a promising and fun experiment. Getting a look at the studio space, however, we can’t help but feel like it’s a little too bright in there to really capture the genuine local mall Hot Topic ambiance.

Either way, fans can keep an eye out on the retailer’s YouTube channel for the next performance. Additional content includes the quickfire Q&A session Hot Minute; My First Band Tee, letting bands reflect on the first band t-shirt they owned; and Behind the Tee Wall, which allows artists to have more in-depth discussions about their music.

Photo by DAVID CROTTY/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

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A lot of people have thoughts about Jay-Z reportedly picking himself for the 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show. One of those people is Joe Budden, who thinks the purported announcement is “anticlimactic.”

During an episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the host did not candy-coat his feelings. “I’m not excited about it,” he said. “Cool, I’m a Jay-Z fan. So, cool either way. You do it, awesome. You don’t. But am I excited about it? Hell no.”

He then added, “Actually, this is probably the most anticlimactic announcement that you could possibly have.”

Rumors have been swirling that Jay and the Roc Nation team are pushing for him to be the next Halftime Show performer. However, no formal announcement has been made.

It has not been officially announced that Jay-Z will be the 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Performer

While the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer is still technically undetermined, the NFL’s pre-Thanksgiving game will feature an iconic rock band. U2 has been chosen to perform at halftime for the Nov. 25 game between the Packers and Rams.

The game will stream on Netflix, with coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT live from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

“There’s a reason U2 has headlined stadiums for decades: they don’t just perform; they deliver iconic moments audiences remember forever,” said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “We’re thrilled that they’ll bring that same magic to the NFL stage on Netflix. It’s going to be an unforgettable night for football fans and Netflix members worldwide.”

U2 and Cage The Elephant are both playing NFL halftime shows this year

Additionally, the NFL previously announced that Cage The Elephant will headline a halftime show during the 2026 season. The band will perform at the Munich game between the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions. That game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. CET (9:30 a.m. ET) on Sunday, November 15.

“We have played a lot of shows in Germany over the years, and the crowds here have always given us everything they have,” said Cage the Elephant frontman Matt Shultz. “Playing a halftime show is a completely different animal. You get one shot in front of a stadium and a global audience, and you have to make every second count. We are going to bring the same energy we bring to our own shows, and we cannot wait.”

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When you’ve associated a certain artist with their respective bands for so long, it’s hard to imagine them in any other group. Most of the time, musicians play with multiple bands before landing in a successful group. In the 90s, alternative music rose to the top, completely contrasting what it took to make it big in the 80s. Therefore, many 90s alternative bands had stints in bands that were entirely different from the ones we know them for. Here are three examples of this.

Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo Was in a Metal Band

Long before we knew Rivers Cuomo as the nerdy, glasses-wearing frontman of Weezer, he was in a metal band. That may be hard to picture, but fans familiar with his guitar shredding skills will find this to be no surprise. Normally, Rivers’ guitar work for Weezer is straightforward and not very flashy. He went all out on their 2002 album Maladroit, showcasing his true guitar skills.

Before forming Weezer, Cuomo played in a hair metal band called Avant Garde. They later changed their name to Zoom. He also performed in a Kiss cover band called Fury and a short-lived funk metal project called Sixty Wrong Sausages in 1991. Those interested in what the Weezer frontman looked like in this era can refer to the album cover of Alone II: The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo, released in 2008.

Layne Staley Was in a Glam Metal Band

Before Layne Staley became the iconic frontman of one of the “Big Four” grunge bands of the 90s, he was a glam metal singer. He was in a band called Sleze from 1984 until 1986. The band played local high school shows and covered popular heavy metal tracks. In 1986, he formed a new group called Diamond Lie with future members of Alice In Chains. This lineup included guitarist Jerry Cantrell, bassist Mike Starr, and drummer Sean Kinney. One of Staley’s previous groups was called Alice ‘N Chains, and the band soon adopted the name instead of Diamond Lie. Alice ‘N Chains was primarily a speed metal group before the band focused on the emerging grunge sound.

Mike McCready Was In a Hard Rock Band

This one isn’t too different from what he ended up doing anyway. But still, picturing the iconic Pearl Jam guitarist in any other band just seems weird. That’s not including Temple Of The Dog, which was practically Pearl Jam before the band launched. In 1982, the band Shadow formed with McCready on rhythm and sometimes lead guitar. The group was primarily influenced by hard rock bands such as KISS, Van Halen, and the new wave of British heavy metal bands such as Def Leppard and Judas Priest.

The band moved from Seattle to Los Angeles in an attempt to secure a record deal. They never signed a major deal as they had hoped. The band felt burned out and went their separate ways in 1988, with McCready going back to Seattle in 1988. In 2013, Shadow reunited for a special live performance and vinyl release.

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Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson was just 17 years old when his extreme metal band Enslaved toured the U.S. for the first time. He and bassist Grutle Kjellson formed the band as teenagers in 1991, and by 1994 they’d released two albums. Their unique approach to Norwegian metal caught the attention of hardcore icon Peter Steele, who allegedly had a copy of their second album, Frost.

At the time, Steele’s thrash metal band Carnivore had reunited. They played several reunion shows through the mid-90s and had a few lineup changes until Steele’s death in 2010. But in 1994, Enslaved’s tour manager was allegedly friends with Steele, and put Bjørnson in contact.

“[Steele] was really nice, super friendly,” Bjørnson recalled in an October 2026 interview with Metal Hammer. “Some weeks later came the offer: ‘If you want to hang out for another month after the tour, you can support Carnivore.’ I was like, ‘Umm, I think I need to go back to high school.’”

Ivar Bjørnson Regrets Not Taking Peter Steele Up On his Offer to Support Carnivore

Declining an offer to support Peter Steele’s band on tour sounds like sacrilege for a metal musician. While Ivar Bjørnson recognized the unfortunate lost opportunity, he also admitted that 17-year-old him had a point. Being a teenager on tour in a foreign country was a pretty good reason to decline.

When asked if he regretted the decision, Bjørnson immediately said yes. “Then again,” he added, “I was 17, so we were barely allowed to go on tour in the first place! And we’d already stayed two weeks longer than we were supposed to.”

Bjørnson continued, “We made up a story that we were staying with a friend in Dallas, but we actually spent two weeks touring Mexico. I didn’t tell my mum about it until I was 26.”

That 1994 U.S. tour had a few other interesting experiences for the teenage Bjørnson and Kjellson. Beyond the offer from Peter Steele and secretly touring Mexico, they also found themselves in a wickedly uncomfortable van. They often had to resort to underage drinking just to fall asleep. They would frequently drink vodka as a way to lull themselves to sleep in the horrible van. However, that ritual backfired when the van broke down one night.

“Our van broke down while we were driving through the Bronx, so we were told to stay in the van at the garage,” Bjørnson recalled. “When we broke down, we were already quite far into our nightly ritual of getting dozy. At some point, it was like, ‘Where’s Grutle?’ He was running around, with no t-shirt, screaming, ‘I’m Santa Claus!’ Some of the other guys had to go get him.”

Photo by Per Ole Hagen/Redferns

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Pop-punk peaked towards the end of the 90s and into the early 2000s. You can get a sense of this when re-watching films from the era. It became cliché to use pop-punk hits for transitional scenes. Now, we look back fondly on this era where pop-punk invaded the mainstream. In the 2000s specifically, many pop-punk hits raced the charts, charting higher than ever before or since. These are the three highest-charting pop-punk hits of the late 90s and 2000s.

“All The Small Things” by Blink-182

By the time Blink-182 established their legendary trio lineup, pop-punk had already pushed into the mainstream. The band capitalized on the momentum of bands such as Green Day to become one of the biggest pop-punk acts going into the new millennium. With their third album, the band released a string of hits starting with “What’s My Age Again?”, peaking at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. They immediately exceeded expectations with their follow-up hit, “All The Small Things”, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne

By 2007, pop-punk had already dominated the first half of the 2000s. Artists such as Avril Lavigne still had more to offer. Her 2007 hit, “Girlfriend”, became one of the most successful pop-punk songs of all time. Released on February 27, 2007, “Girlfriend” peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Avril Lavigne had been close to a No. 1 hit multiple times before. In 2002, her debut single “Complicated” peaked at No. 2. That same year, “I’m With You” peaked at No. 4, and “Sk8er Boi” peaked at No. 10. In 2004, “My Happy Ending” peaked at No. 9. However, she did earn a No. 1 album in 2004 with Under My Skin, and she achieved this again in 2007 with The Best Damn Thing.

“Sugar, wE’RE Goin’ Down” by Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy was one of the main bands to push emo into the mainstream. Their 2000s variation of emo was categorically pop-punk as well, especially on their debut and sophomore albums. On May 3, 2005, Fall Out Boy released their critically acclaimed sophomore album, From Under The Cork Tree. The album’s lead single, “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”, peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. They brilliantly followed up with “Dance, Dance”, which peaked at No. 9 following its release on October 31, 2005.

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Kid Cudi has tried his hand at a wide variety of different creative avenues. He’s a rapper, singer, producer, actor, model, writer, you name it. There’s no telling what he’ll work on next. Now, fans could anticipate him taking on his most ambitious project to date.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, he revealed that he’s directing, writing, and starring in a film about legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It’s tentatively slated to be finished and released by 2027, made entirely by him and his production company. In the pictures, Cudi shared a vision of what he’s going to look like emulating the late painter.

Additionally, Kid Cudi noted that after years of hearing others imagine him in the role, he decided to stop waiting around and do it himself.

“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said f**k it, ima write it myself,” he wrote in the caption. “Did a wardrobe test, got a wig made… But I wanted to tease what we been cooking a bit. This one im so proud of and excited about.

Kid Cudi Is going to Play The Role of Basquiat in a New Film in 2027

Then, the Cleveland crooner detailed how Basquiat frequently played a pivotal part in inspiring him over the years. Consequently, he wanted to create something to honor the work he provided to the world.

“To write a film about someone who existed was a challenge, but it was a welcomed one,” Kid Cudi added. “A lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him. This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city. Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before.”

Jean-Michel Basquiat passed away in August 1988 at 27 years old after a fatal drug overdose. He was famously portrayed by acclaimed actor Jeffrey Wright in the 1996 film Basquiat.

Kid Cudi isn’t the only new actor trying his hand at the famous artist either. Kelvin L. Harrison is slated to take on the role of Jean-Michel Basquiat in an upcoming drama titled Samo Lives, directed by Julius Onah. The film will also star Antony Starr as Andy Warhol, as well as other noteworthy names in Hollywood like Kathryn Newton and Dane DeHaan.

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Iron Maiden legend Nicko McBrain retired from touring back in 2024, after suffering some serious health battles. Now, in a resurfaced interview, we can hear in his own words how those issues threatened his heavy metal career.

The health battles in question started with a stroke in 2023. This left Nicko paralyzed on his right side, from the shoulder down, for a period of time. The following year, he announced his retirement from tour life.

In July 2025, two years after his stroke, Nicko appeared on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk to discuss his decision to quit touring. “I had my health issues,” he said at the time. “Which was one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn’t doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn’t fair on everybody else either in the band.”

Nicko McBrain retired from touring in 2024 after surviving a stroke

He continued, “They supported me 100 percent through the ‘The Future Past Tour’, and that was fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour.”

Nicko later shared some insight into the physical and personal issues that led to him hanging up his tour kit. “Primarily, I was fed up with touring in terms of the travel and not having days to recoup my body,” he said.

“I wasn’t so much slowing down, although we did play the songs that,” Nicko added, then switching gears, “I got told off at rehearsals [in 2024] because I was playing the songs too fast.” He explained that this was because he had “been playing with Titanium Tart before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with Maiden.” Titanium Tart is Nicko’s Florida-based side project that performs Iron Maiden songs.

“I actually got told off for playing too quick,” Nicko continued. “So it wasn’t a question of not being able to drive the band. It was just not being able to drive the band with the drum fills that I’d been used to playing for 42 years. So the question mark was raised about the performance side. And that’s quite right…So that was part of the decision that I made.”

Fast forward to October 2026: Nicko McBrain is about to release his autobiography, “Hello Boys And Girls!” Harper Nonfiction will publish the book on October 22, 2026.

Photo by Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori via Getty Images

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A good rule of thumb: never trust an artist who says they’re going to retire. They might mean it in the moment, but history has consistently proven that they always come back. Sometimes, they don’t even last a year into their retirement. All of a sudden, they’re back in the mix teasing their next project. The best you’re likely to get is an artist in a position to finally slow down and make something at their own pace, rather than at the industry standard.

Hip-hop has seen an abundance of rappers change their minds about the prospect of retiring. For example, J. Cole admitted that he couldn’t commit to the idea despite teasing it with The Fall-Off for years. Instead, he explained he was just closing the book on the story he wanted to tell across his career. With that finished, he seemed happy to just make anything, whether it’s another album, feature verses, or just producing for someone.

In the spirit of remembering rappers who couldn’t stick to the idea of retirement, we looked back at three hip-hop legends and how they unsuccessfully tried to quit rapping. They already left behind historic resumes to warrant the decision. But they never stuck with it and they still rap today, even if it’s less than they used to.

three Rappers Who Announced Their Retirement But Eventually Went Back on Their Word

Jay-Z

Arguably the most famous example of a rapper trying to retire, Jay-Z wanted out of the rap game relatively early into his career. He already had a couple of genre-defining albums under his belt and built an empire with Roc-A-Fella. Eventually, he reached a point where he wanted to venture out further into the business side of things.

That mindset led to The Black Album in 2003, which was slated to be his grand departure from hip-hop. Clearly, that retirement didn’t last long. He went back on his decision only two years later and continued to vouch for the top spot in hip-hop. Even today, almost ten years since his last solo album and at a point where he doesn’t have to rap, he’s still toying around with the idea of another record.

50 Cent

50 Cent’s big retirement tease came during the height of his career. He went head to head with Kanye West in a sales battle, one 50 felt extremely confident in winning. To prove he wasn’t worried about losing, he put his career on the line. By the end of the rivalry, Ye beat him by over 200,000 copies.

Surely, that meant 50 would be a man of his word, right? Absolutely not. He made two mixtapes and an album two years later. Still, he didn’t have to retire for Kanye West to shift the tides of hip-hop forever and still take the throne from him during that battle.

Nowadays, 50 Cent is more mogul and actor than he is rapper. But every once in a while, he’ll come out of hiding with a verse to show he can still hop on a track with anyone.

Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco always wanted to retire because he was sick and tired of the music industry. He would either get jerked around by his old label or never felt like he got the recognition he deserved as a rapper. Even at the peak of his powers back in 2007, he was “85 percent sure” about walking away from hip-hop.

“I love music, I love performing, I love my fans, but I don’t like recorded music. I don’t like record labels and I don’t like the industry. It’s such an unfair deal,” Lupe Fiasco said at the time.

“It wears and tears on you. It’s not that I’m scared of work, but that work starts to eat away at you and you need to start to make the decision about how you’re going to proceed. At a certain point, you’re going to have to kind of concede to the darker side of doing business to really succeed or you’re going to have to make that song you really don’t feel that you should be making to achieve a certain level of success. It’s like growing up and really looking at the purpose of life and meaning of life and realizing that this is really minuscule in comparison to everything else. Recorded music is the worst, the absolute worst next to probably slavery. In a lot of respects, it can amount to just that.”

Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage for Entertainment Weekly Magazine

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