Oscars 2026: Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave & Song Shortlist

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released shortlists for the 2026 Oscars' Best Original Song and Best Original Score categories, showcasing a diverse range of musical talent. Contenders include Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave, HUNTR/X, and even Billy Idol, reflecting the Academy's openness to various musical styles. These shortlists offer a glimpse into potential nominees and highlight the importance of music in filmmaking. The Oscars historically reward innovative and emotionally resonant scores, and the inclusion of diverse styles suggests a broadening of the Academy's

tastes. The competition for nominations promises to be fierce, with the final selections set to be announced on January 22nd.

Trent Reznor Reveals That Nine Inch Nails Are “Working On New Stuff”

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor is reinvigorated by the band's recent successes, including their Peel It Back Tour and TRON: Ares soundtrack, prompting a renewed focus on creating new music. Reznor expressed excitement about working on new material and prioritizing Nine Inch Nails over other projects. The band is gearing up for the next North American tour leg and a special performance at Coachella with German producer Boys Noize. Nine Inch Nails was recently honored as Consequence of Sound's 2025 Live Act of the Year, highlighting their continued relevance and impact in the music industry.

Kirk Hammett Plots Solo Album And Has 767 Riffs For Next Metallica Record

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has 767 riffs ready for the band's next album and is planning to record his first solo album. Hammett shared that Metallica won't start the next album for at least another year due to ongoing tour commitments. He also mentioned that he is actively working on ideas for his solo album, which will feature a fusion of various musical styles and include vocals.

Watch the trailer for Coldplay's Music of the Spheres Meta Quest Immersive Experience

Coldplay has announced an immersive experience on Meta Horizon, allowing fans to watch one of their Wembley Stadium shows in full through a Meta Horizon headset. The show was captured with 15 cameras to create an immersive experience for fans. In addition to the concert, Coldplay fans can access exclusive content across entertainment, gaming, and fitness, including a Coldplay Music Pack on Beat Saber. Rolling Stone UK praised the Wembley shows as a "dazzling stadium spectacle" and encouraged fans to experience the magic and unity of the band.

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer giving back to Chicago musicians

Grammy-winning drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is working to provide music education opportunities for young students in Chicago. Despite his success, Smith is committed to ensuring that others have access to music education. The Chad Smith Foundation offers lesson plans, donates music equipment, and provides scholarships to students in need. Smith's foundation aims to support the next generation of musicians and bridge the gap in music education in Chicago. Smith's efforts are inspired by his own experience with music education and the impact it had on his life and career.

SOCIAL DISTORTION's First New Album In 15 Years To Arrive In May 2026

Mike Ness, singer and guitarist for SOCIAL DISTORTION, has confirmed that the band's new studio album will be released in spring 2026. The announcement was made during a backstage chat at the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas event in Los Angeles. Ness also shared details about his recovery from tonsil cancer, revealing that he had to relearn how to eat and swallow after surgery. Despite the challenges, he expressed gratitude for being able to sing again and noted that his voice is stronger than ever. SOCIAL DISTORTION, known for their honest and fiery rock 'n' roll, has been a staple in the punk scene since the late 1970s, with their last album released in 2011.

Ex-Mötley Crüe singer John Corabi begins ’New Day’ with debut solo album

Former Mötley Crüe singer John Corabi is set to release his debut solo album titled New Day on April 24. The title track is already available, and Corabi describes the album as a collection of eclectic, organic songs reminiscent of the music he grew up listening to. The record is a classic rock and roll album with a

'60s-'70s sound. Corabi joined Mötley Crüe in 1992 and released one album with the band before departing in 1996.

Marilyn Manson Announces 2026 Tour Dates

Marilyn Manson has added spring 2026 U.S. dates to his "One Assassination Under God Tour" with support from Australian duo VOWWS. The new shows follow a year of sold-out concerts around the world. The tour is in support of Manson's 2024 album "One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1." The artist presale is underway, and public tickets go on sale Friday morning. Dates include stops in Minneapolis, Green Bay, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, and Columbus from May 8th through May 16th, plus shows in California, Las Vegas and Texas. Dates here https://marilynmanson.com/

Three Days Grace Puts On Electrifying Show as 2025 Closes Out

Three Days Grace recently performed at the O2 Academy Brixton, marking a new era for the band with Adam Gontier back on vocals alongside Matt Walst. The show was an emotional journey through the band's hits, including new tracks from their latest album. The crowd was fully engaged, singing along and embracing the raw power and reflection in the band's music. Badflower also delivered a high-energy set, captivating the audience with their emotional and intense performance.

ROLLING STONES: Not Rolling in '26

The Rolling Stones' plan to move their U.K. and European tour from this year to next has hit a snag. The Sun reports that when the band "properly sat down to discuss the tour, Keith Richards said he didn’t think he could commit and wasn’t keen on a big stadium tour for over four months.” Then a spokesperson for the band told the British tabloid, "The band were looking to tour earlier this year but couldn’t make it work either. It’s hard for their fans, but the Stones will get back onstage when they’re good and ready.” This report was then confirmed to NME to be true.

Richards, who turns 82 Thursday, has long battled arthritis in his hands and is typically the one band member who is always pushing for them to perform. The Stones last performed in their native England in 2022, and their last show was on July 21st, 2024, in Ridgedale, Missouri. The album they recorded this year is scheduled to be released in 2026.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Hoping to Deliver a Profit

The Bruce Springsteen bio-pic, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, is headed to a number of digital platforms. It will be released on Amazon, Prime Video and Apple TV on December 23rd, followed by 4K Blu-ray on January 20th. The physical release will include the four-part documentary Making Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Based on Warren Zanes's 2023 book about the making of his sixth album, 1982’s Nebraska, it failed to deliver an audience in theaters, having grossed just under $23 million in the U.S. and just over $44 million worldwide. It cost $50 million to produce.

In other Springsteen news, he's paid tribute to his friend, singer-songwriter Joe Ely, who died Monday from complications of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia at age 78. He wrote, "I was lucky enough to count Joe as a true friend and I will miss that voice and his companionship. Our hearts go out to his wonderful wife Sharon and the family. We’ve lost an American classic."

BEATLES: December Clips

Paul McCartney and George Harrison's estate have a couple of Christmas presents for their fans in the form of new videos.

McCartney has released one for “Arrow Through Me” off his final Wings album, 1979's Back to the Egg. It combines footage from the original video with graphics and animation, archival photos of the band members, and scrolling images of a handwritten lyric sheet. Commenting on the song in his 2021 book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, McCartney said, "I have always had a soft spot for this song. There’s a nice horn riff in it, and it’s funky. Sometimes you write to get a sort of feeling rather than a perfectly ‘correct’ lyric. Sometimes the lyric can be secondary to the feeling. This one has as much, or more, to do with the feel of the song, the groove... “This is a love song in which Cupid's arrow is referenced, but it’s a malevolent arrow. It’s possible I’d seen an illustration of Cupid and thought, ‘Cupid fires a bow, but I’ll switch it. It won’t be love; it will be the opposite.’ “The character in the song has been wounded. He’s been cheated on. And it could’ve been a great relationship, could’ve been fantastic. As things stand, you couldn’t ‘have found a more down hero,’ because there was nobody more down than me at that moment. So, get it together and bring your love.” "Arrow Through Me" peaked at number-29 on the Billboard Hot 100.

As for George Harrison, his estate has produced the first-ever video for his second number-one song, 1973's "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)." The stop-motion animation video, directed by actor and musician Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things), features Harrison walking through and manicuring his gardens of Friar Park, his estate outside London, with Easter egg references from Harrison’s career and a tribute to his love of gardening.

Ringo Starr has also made video news, but not in anything he produced. He was captured in a lounge at London's Heathrow Airport by British social media influencer Ed Matthews who was doing a livestream. Ringo asked Matthews if he was doing a radio broadcast and then asked where he was from. But the whole time Matthews had no idea who he was speaking with.

But whoever was on the other end of the livestream said that was "Beatle Ringo,” to which Matthews said, "Beatle Ringo? Who is that? Who the heck is Beatle Ringo?… Is he on one of them statues from Liverpool?” He then looked him up and they ended up sitting across from each other in first class on the flight to Los Angeles.

IN OTHER NEWS

Peter Gabriel’s 1982 song “I Have the Touch” is included on the soundtrack for the new

Timothée Chalamet movie Marty Supreme, about a table tennis prodigy. He says, “The song is rarely asked out for a dance and I have always loved table tennis. Now there seems to be a real buzz about the film. Although I have it in my Academy [Awards] pack, we are waiting to see it on the big screen during the Christmas holiday.” And Gabriel is no stranger to the sport, adding, “On tour we always have a table backstage for any of the crew or band to jump on.”

Foreigner’s 2016 live hits collection, Playlist: The Very Best of Foreigner, has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Original singer Lou Gramm presented the band with their plaques during a recent show in Port Chester, New York, one of eight dates in December in which Gramm performed select songs with the group. Gramm will tour with Foreigner again in April in Florida.

Van Morrison, Steve Van Zandt, George Thorogood, Mike Campbell and others will pay tribute to Taj Mahal at the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund annual fundraising concert on February 21st at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco.

The producers of The Music of Billy Joel tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 12th have announced the initial performers. They are Rob Thomas from Matchbox Twenty, Pat Monahan of Train, Marc Roberge of O.A.R. and Billy's daughter, Alexa Ray Joel. The backing band is Billy's touring band.

Congratulations to Megadeth's Dave Mustaine on earning a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu this month. The 64-year-old already achieved black belt status in Taekwondo and Ukidokan karate.

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