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Everybody hurts — except for Nathan Caine. And yes, the soundtrack for “Novocaine” has a lot of fun with that fact.

Now in theaters, “Novocaine” follows Nathan (Jack Quaid), an assistant bank manager who has a genetic condition making it so that he is incapable of feeling physical pain. While that may sound like a superhero, it actually comes with significant risks, so he’s basically lived his life in a bubble.

That is, until Sherry (Amber Midthunder) comes along. He quickly falls for her, and when she’s taken hostage during a bank robbery, Nathan sets off on a mission to find her, no matter what pain he may endure along the way (and there is a lot).

You’ll definitely recognize some of the songs that accompany that journey, too.

Here are all the songs on the “Novocaine” soundtrack:

“Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. “Silver Bells” by Andy Williams “Casual...

We’ve had Looney Tunes for nearly a century. Leon Schlesinger produced their first short Sinkin’ in the Bathtub alongside animators Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising in 1930. Almost 100 years later, the only Looney Tunes feature films (outside of theatrically released compilations) have been two Space Jams, 2003’s Looney Tunes: Back in Action, the tragically unreleased Coyote vs. Acme, and now the latest offering: The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.

Directed by Peter Browngardt, this is a charming affair. Modeled after sci-fi B-movies of the 1950s and starring Looney Tunes legends Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza), The Day the Earth Blew Up starts with a UFO landing. The spacecraft takes off on the roof of Porky and Daffy’s broken-down house (bequeathed to them by surrogate father Farmer Jim) just before crashing. It goes on to infect a local scientist (Fred Tatasciore...

You wouldn’t necessarily think it from the damage he sustains over the course of “Novocaine,” but Nathan Caine ranks among the most risk-averse action heroes the genre has ever seen. That’s because the junior manager of a San Diego bank has a rare disorder known as congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (or Cipa). One cut could have life-threatening consequences, if not felt and dealt with quickly enough. So it’s kind of a big deal when normally hyper-cautious “Novocaine” (as the other kids called Nathan at school) goes into berserker mode to rescue his crush from bank robbers.

Cipa is a real thing, affecting fewer than one in 100 million people. Technically, that means screenwriter Lars Jacobson is the insensitive one here, not Nathan. If that bothers you, don’t buy a ticket. If it doesn’t, well, Paramount is doing sneak previews on March 8, a week before the film opens wide.

It’s not easy to get a big laugh before a film’s opening credits even complete their roll, but Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s “Novocaine” manages to pull that trick off without a hitch. Yes, those first laughs — built on the inspired choice to open a film about a guy who can’t feel any pain with R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” — rely on an audience knowing the action outing’s biggest and best idea before they’ve even taken the first sip of their multiplex soda, but there’s much more going on. Well, at first.

Nathan Caine can’t feel any pain, a kicky enough idea for both a film and a tagline, and it’s understandably made his life as downbeat as, well, one of R.E.M.’s biggest hits. When we meet Nathan, we’re treated not just to the dulcet tones of Michael Stipe,...

This week's Empire Podcast features two cracking interviews with two directors at two very different stages of their career. First, actor-turned-director Jack Huston sits down on Zoom and talks to our very own Chris Hewitt about how he managed to make his directorial debut, the black-and-white drama Day Of The Fight, about recruiting Joe Pesci for a supporting role, and about the influence of his famous grandfather, John Huston, on his craft and love of film. [26:52 — 47:11 approx.] Then, rounding out our one-two punch of filmmaker chats, Helen O'Hara sits down with the great Bong Joon Ho and his interpreter for a lovely chat about Director Bong's latest movie, sci-fi satire Mickey 17. [1:15:40 — 1:32:02 approx.]

Either side of those is another doozy of an episode in which Chris and Helen are joined by James Dyer and, returning to the pod after an absence of a decade, Radio 1's Ali Plumb! Together, the team talk...

Just four days after his surprise reunion with R.E.M. at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, Michael Stipe performed at the annual Tibet House benefit at New York’s Carnegie Hall on a packed bill that also included Patti Smith, Jackson Browne, Laurie Anderson, Gogol Bordello, Orville Peck, Allison Russell, the Philip Glass Ensemble, Angélique Kidjo, and Tenzin Choegyal.

Stipe delivered stunning renditions of David Bowie’s 1970 classic “The Man Who Sold the World” and “No Time for Love Like Now,” which he co-wrote with the National’s Aaron Dessner...

The great child actress Michelle Trachtenberg died today, Feb. 26, 2025. This follows a liver transplant the actor received, along with several Instagram posts which had alarmed some friends and fans, with the images portraying an extremely gaunt Trachtenberg. As The New York Post writes, "Trachtenberg was found by her mother at around 8 a.m. Wednesday at One Columbus Place, a 51-story luxury apartment complex in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood, the sources said [...] The NYPD confirmed Trachtenberg was found 'unconscious and unresponsive' by police and pronounced dead by Ems workers."

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Michelle Trachtenberg (@michelletrachtenberg)

Trachtenberg, born on Oct. 11, 1985, began her career as a child actor, eventually joining a live-action Nickelodeon series, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, at the age of nine. That series began as little interstitial shorts in 1989, which became popular enough to warrant a handful of TV specials. Going from...

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“I guarantee you I will screw this song up,” Kurt Cobain told the crowd before Nirvana launched into their stirring cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” on MTV Unplugged back in 1993. Over 30 years later, the band’s legendary acoustic performance has finally landed on streaming services, along with several other memorable episodes from the groundbreaking concert series.

At a Glance: Where to Watch...

Paramount+ is ready to rock — and they've released over 125 episodes of musical performances to its streaming service to prove it. Coming at you from the other Viacom-owned properties like MTV Unplugged, VH1 Storytellers, and CMT Crossroads, many of the episodes haven't been seen since they first aired. And with a list of performances that includes the likes of Elton John, Neil Young, Mariah Carey, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, and even Nirvana's now-iconic November 1993 performance — which aired a mere seven months before the singer Kurt Cobain died — the list is a treasure trove for any music fan.

According to a press release from the streamer, more than 70 of the episodes have not been available to the public for more than 20 years. And, considering how much purging of content Paramount Global has done over the years, it's a relief to see that some things still get saved in the digital age.

A massive trove of live performances from the late-Nineties/early-Aughts glory days of music television has finally made it to the streaming era, with Paramount+ uploading old episodes of MTV Unplugged, CMT Crossroads, and VH1 Storytellers.

As Billboard notes, these collections aren’t entirely comprehensive, with random episodes and full seasons missing here and there for all three programs. Nevertheless, there’s still a deep assortment of classic performances to dig through, including most of the episodes that appeared on Rolling Stone’s list of the 15 Best Episodes of MTV Unplugged.

Paramount+ has opened up its vault of classic MTV Unplugged episodes. Over 50 episodes of the live performance series have been added to the streamer, alongside dozens more episodes of VH1 Storytellers and CMT Crossroads.

According to a press release, many of the episodes “haven’t been available in 20+ years.” Coming from Seasons 1-8 and 10-13, the MTV Unplugged episodes include iconic performances from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Paul McCartney, Oasis, R.E.M., Alanis Morissette, Alice in Chains, and Bob Dylan.

Meanwhile, the VH1 Storytellers episodes are taken from Seasons 1-9, 11-13,15, and 16, featuring standouts like David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Alicia Keys, and Elton John.

See the full list of more than 125 episodes below.

MTV Unplugged

Aerosmith (1990)

Alanis Morissette (1999)

Alice in Chains (1996)

Alicia Keys (2005)

Allman Brothers (1990)

Annie Lenox (1992)

Arrested Development (1993)

Babyface & Friends feat. Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, and K-Ci & JoJo (1997)

Bob Dylan (1994)

Bryan Adams (1997)

Chris Isaak (1995)

Cranberries (1995)

Crowded House...

Six months after Tenacious D canceled a tour and went on hiatus in the wake of Kyle Gass’ controversial comments about the Donald Trump assassination attempt, the duo reunited to contribute a song to a Los Angeles wildfire benefit compilation.

The 90-track Good Music to Lift Los Angeles arrived on Bandcamp Friday, featuring new songs, remixes, and live performances by the likes of Animal Collective, TV on the Radio, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, R.E.M. and Tenacious D, who provided a cover of Reo Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You,” a...

Los Angeles Rising, a new benefit album for victims of the LA wildfires, has been released with contributions from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Pj Harvey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Devo, Primal Scream, and more.

Masterminded by Kevin Haskins and producer Nick Launay, all proceeds from the compilation will go to Sweet Relief, which provides financial assistance to career musicians and music industry workers. Purchase it exclusively on Bandcamp.

Featuring 16 previously unreleased songs, some of the compilation’s highlights include a stripped-back cover of “California Dreamin'” by Jarvis Cocker and “Turn Into Redux,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ alternate take on the Show Your Bones cut.

“As the wildfires were raging and destroying thousands of homes around Los Angeles, both my neighborhood and Nick’s were instructed to evacuate. But we were the lucky ones,” Haskins said in a press statement. “The fire threatening our homes and recording studios was thankfully extinguished by firefighters just minutes away,...

Welcome back to Origins, our recurring series that gives artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, Los Angeles quartet Rocket dig into the themes behind their new song, “Take Your Aim.”

The four members of Rocket have known each other since childhood, and that sibling-like camaraderie is well on display when watching the band live. One of our emerging artists to watch in 2025, Rocket play extraordinarily loudly and lend a kind of over-active vibrancy to their chosen genres of shoegaze and slacker rock — which usually have more introverted, distanced presentations. Their songs can be comforting like thick blankets, but they also rock out so hard that you can practically envision an extreme sports compilation playing over them.

Clearly, the members of Rocket are fluent in the same sonic language, and it’s a delightful feature of their new song, “Take Your Aim.” The...

When wildfires rage across California, the devastation is heartbreaking. Homes are lost, families are displaced, and entire communities are left picking up the pieces. But amidst the ashes, acts of kindness shine the brightest. And this time, one of those acts came from none other than Meghan Markle and her Archewell Foundation.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in a still from Harry – The Lost Prince | Credits: Zdf

When flames engulfed parts of Southern California in January, 14-year-old Avery Colvert, a California teen with a big heart and a drive to help, didn’t just watch the news, she took action.

She started Altadena Girls, a grassroots relief effort aiming to provide wildfire victims with essentials like food, clothing, and hygiene products. What she never expected was for a global icon to step in and take her initiative to the next level. So, what exactly did Meghan do? And how did it impact Avery’s mission?...

In the wake of the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles last month, many musicians and institutions have pulled together benefit events, concerts, lost-instrument funds, and other opportunities to provide relief to struggling Angelenos. Now, the compilation series Good Music is joining those efforts with a massive, 90-track LA wildfires benefit album featuring tracks from R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie + The Postal Service, Tenacious D, Faye Webster, TV on the Radio, Courtney Barnett, and many more.

Titled Good Music to Lift Los Angeles, the benefit compilation is a Bandcamp exclusive and will be available on the platform for 24 hours-only starting this Friday, February 7th at 12:00 a.m. Pst. The album costs $20.25 on Good Music’s Bandcamp page; All proceeds from album sales will benefit those affected by the LA wildfires last month via California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund and the LA Food Bank, while Bandcamp themselves will direct...

In the beginning, R.E.M. would play anywhere that would have them, from pizza parlors to gay bars to frat parties. For all the arty elusiveness of their early music, the band that would end up setting the template for the Nineties alt-rock boom was hungrier and more strategic than it might have seemed — which is just one of many revelations in Peter Ames Carlin’s illuminating new book, The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography.

In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, Carlin...

The list of artists who will be saluting Patti Smith at an upcoming tribute show in New York just grew longer.

The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, director Jim Jarmusch, former Bangles frontperson Susanna Hoffs, Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, and New York rocker Jesse Malin have been added to an already eclectic lineup of singers and musicians partaking in “People Have the Power: Celebrating the Music of Patti Smith” at Carnegie Hall on March 26.

The concert, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Smith’s classic Horses album, was first announced last November.

“The Cell” is back in action.

Tarsem Singh’s somewhat controversial 2000 thriller is getting the 4K treatment thanks to a new, limited edition release from Arrow Video.

“The Cell” stars Jennifer Lopez as a psychologist working with some cutting-edge technology, who is tasked by the FBI to go inside the mind of a serial killer (Vincent D’Onofrio) who has fallen into a coma. While there, she has to battle the demons of his subconscious, along with an FBI agent (Vince Vaughn). Watch a clip from the new restoration below, with Lopez’s character communicating with the ghostly version of the killer’s dog – an all-white German shepherd.

When the movie was released in 2000, it was somewhat controversial, with some claiming that Singh’s imagery, which borrowed from Damien Hirst and H.R. Giger, to name a few, and was honed during Singh’s time making influential commercials and music videos (like...

When people win American Idol, they often do what they can to cash in on their popularity. While winners in recent years have mostly disappeared, the winners from the original run of the series had a lot of success. However, there was one winner from the original show’s run who almost never made appearances.

With that said, he has shown back up and surprised long-time fans, many of whom were excited to see him again. Here is what you need to know.

Former American Idol Alum Shows Up On The Kelly Clarkson Show

Lee DeWyze won American Idol in Season 9. That season saw four judges involved, including Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson, and Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen had replaced Paula Abdul. This was also Cowell’s final season to judge the hit reality competition series.

Lee DeWyze

Lee DeWyze ended up winning the season. In the finals, he sang “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel,...

You don’t often hear the phrases “feel-good” and “Financial Conduct Authority” in the same sentence. But 2023’s Bank Of Dave was as feel-good as they come, telling the “true-ish” story of David Fishwick (played by Rory Kinnear), a businessman and Burnley bloke who defied the odds and the snooty financial regulators to open a charitable community bank for his fellow Lancastrians. Sentimental and sugary though it was, this was a proper heart-warming Brit-com in the classical mould — a banking-based Brassed Off, a financial-sector Full Monty. Plus, it had a climactic cameo from the band Def Leppard, for some reason.

Now Dave is back, in this latest fictionalised retelling of his BAFTA-winning Channel 4 documentary series, with Chris Foggin returning to the director’s chair. Set in the doldrums of the coalition Lib-Con government, the sting of the 2007-’08 recession not yet faded, the scourge of payday loans suddenly begins...

Very few television programs have the iconic history of musical guests that Sesame Street does: Over the years it’s featured everyone from Stevie Wonder to Tony Bennett, Erykah Badu to the Fugees, Patti Labelle to R.E.M., and clever interpretations like odes to the letter U from both One Direction (“What Makes U Useful”) and Smokey Robinson (“U Really Got a Hold on Me”), and opera singer Marilyn Horne trilling an operatic version of “C Is for Cookie,” and much more.

That legacy continues in the show’s 55th season, which launches on Max with Renee Rapp on Jan. 16 and follows with Sza, Noah Kahan, Michael B. Jordan, Samara Joy, Chris Stapleton, Jonathan Van Ness and Billie Jean King joining for songs and other segments. The full schedule appears below; episodes release every Thursday. The season be available on local PBS stations across the country and on the free PBS...

Se7en, the deeply disturbing serial killer film from director David Fincher, is turning 30 this year. While you silently cry over how many years have passed, here's an awesome detail that Fincher has just confirmed: Kevin Spacey wasn't his first choice to play the cold-blooded killer, John Doe. As it turns out, another, much different Hollywood legend was his first pick.

Fincher spoke to Variety about the film's upcoming 4K restoration, and he used the opportunity to reminisce about making such an important film in his career. Alien 3 had opened to terrible reviews, and three years later, Fincher was still feeling the effects of an industry that had turned its back on him. Fortunately, it all worked out for the best, as Se7en shot him into stardom as one of modern cinema's most interesting auteurs.

Related Se7en: A Look Back at the Quintessential '90s Crime Thriller

By adding...

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Patti Smith’s debut album Horses. To commemorate that moment , an array of indie and alternative rockers will gather at New York’s Carnegie Hall on March 26 for a Smith tribute concert.

The lineup for “People Have the Power: Celebrating the Music of Patti Smith” will, so far, include Michael Stipe, Kim Gordon, Matt Berninger of the National, Karen O, Sharon Van Etten, Ben Harper, Courtney Barnett, the Kronos Quartet, Angel Olsen, and the Kills’ Alison Mosshart. Additional artists are expected to be announced in the months ahead.

Al Green delivers a stirring take on R.E.M.’s classic 1992 ballad “Everybody Hurts” for his latest single.

Green leans into the original’s swaying soul groove, adding a booming choir and allowing the strings to reach the heights necessary to match his still potent vocals as he sings: “Don’t throw your hand, oh no/Don’t throw your hand/If you feel like you’re alone/No, no, no, you are not alone.”

In a statement Green said when recording “Everybody Hurts,” “I could really feel the heaviness of the song,...

Soul legend Al Green is back to share his cover of R.E.M.’s 1992 hit “Everybody Hurts.”

Green definitely makes his rendition of “Everybody Hurts” his own. His signature baritone aches across the two chord groove, making his way through the verses at his own pace. Now 78-years-old, Green taps into his gospel roots while also fueling the song with a lifetime of experience.

“While we were in the studio recording ‘Everybody Hurts,’ I could really feel the heaviness of the song and I wanted to inject a little touch of hope and light into it,” Green says in a statement. “There’s always a presence of light that can break through those times of darkness.”

R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe even lent his approval. “Speaking on behalf of the entire band — we could not be more honored, more flattered, more humbled,” he said. “This is an epic moment for us.” Stream...

Eminem, N.W.A, Janet Jackson, and Alanis Morissette are among the finalists for the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s class of 2025.

Other nominees include Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Boy George, The Doobie Brothers, Steve Winwood, Bryan Adams, Tommy James, and Walter Afanasieff. The full list of nominees can be found below.

A total of six inductees will be chosen: three from the songwriters category, and three from the performing songwriters category. They’ll be honored during a ceremony held in New York City in June 2025.

Artists become eligible for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song.

Last year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees included R.E.M., Steely Dan, Timbaland, and Dean Pitchford. During the induction ceremony, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, and Bill Berry reunited for their first performance together in 15 years.

Slim Shady could be headed to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Eminem is one of several performing songwriters nominated for the prestigious honor, along with Janet Jackson, Alanis Morissette, N.W.A., Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Bryan Adams, Mike Love, Boy George, Steve Winwood, Doobie Brothers, David Gates and Tommy James.

Non-performing songwriters who earned nominations include Walter Afanasieff, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, Mike Chapman, Tony Macaulay, Sonny Curtis, Tom Douglas, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Roger Nichols, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, Franne Golde and Ashley Gorley, who earned two nominations for best country song at the Grammys last week.

Eligible voting members will select their choices of up to three nominees in each of the songwriter and performing songwriter categories. The winners will be honored next year at the organization’s Induction & Awards Gala in New York City. A songwriter with a catalog...

Michael Stipe performed at a Harris-Walz get-out-the-vote rally in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday attended by Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz (Mn) and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. He performed R.E.M.’s “Driver 8” from the band’s third album, 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction.

“Thank you for being here, and thank you all for voting or getting ready to vote,” Stipe said as video footage showed from the event. “I want to encourage everyone in Georgia, because we know what it means. We’ve been here before. We know what...

Fresh off the pairing of Radiohead albums with screenings of Nosferatu, Blue Starlite Entertainment’s Silents Synced series has announced the next installment featuring R.E.M.’s music. Beginning in February 2025, the band’s albums Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi will be used to soundtrack screenings of the 1924 Buster Keaton comedy Sherlock Jr.

Sherlock Jr. x R.E.M. was created with the band’s approval. Its world premiere will take place on February 1st at the historic Morton Theatre in Athens, Georgia, as well as the Ciné art house cinema. Get more information at the Silents Synced website.

“Buster Keaton is one of my favorite actor/director/writers in movie history,” R.E.M. co-founder Peter Buck said in a statement. “I’m honored that in some small way R.E.M. is collaborating with him from beyond the grave.”

The band’s longtime manager Bertis Downs added, “The guys were...

Fresh off the pairing of Radiohead albums with screenings of Nosferatu, Blue Starlite Entertainment’s Silents Synced series has announced the next installment featuring R.E.M.’s music. Beginning in February 2025, the band’s albums Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi will be used to soundtrack screenings of the 1924 Buster Keaton comedy Sherlock Jr.

Sherlock Jr. x R.E.M. was created with the band’s approval. Its world premiere will take place on February 1st at the historic Morton Theatre in Athens, Georgia, as well as the Ciné art house cinema. Get more information at the Silents Synced website.

“Buster Keaton is one of my favorite actor/director/writers in movie history,” R.E.M. co-founder Peter Buck said in a statement. “I’m honored that in some small way R.E.M. is collaborating with him from beyond the grave.”

The band’s longtime manager Bertis Downs added, “The guys were...

Neil Young has endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

In a new blog post on the Neil Young Archives, the legendary rockstar highlighted the reasons why he “loves” the vice president, writing, “She is an honest, forthright truth teller who is experienced in the White House, free from ambiguity or evasiveness, who goes straight to the point.”

Young went on to describe the Democratic candidate as “clear headed, young enough to hold the office for a couple of bright future terms,” and a “good person who is unafraid to take on criminals and uphold the law of the USA.”

Concluding, he wrote, “She’s my candidate for the future of this great country. Kamala Harris will take on the billionaire class and make them pay their fair share of taxes. She will not owe them any favors. She is a kind, considerate American. Cast your vote for a beautiful future for your family.

R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe has mostly avoided the spotlight in recent years, but Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign has temporarily changed that. On Thursday night (October 10th), he performed at his second rally in as many weeks, this time at R.E.M.’s former home base of Athens, Georgia.

During his four-song set, Stipe was backed by Now It’s Overhead’s Andy LeMaster and Mercyland’s David Barbe. After kicking it off by performing R.E.M.’s 1985 song “Wendell Gee” for the first time in 39 years, Stipe played his solo track “Your Capricious Soul,” his Big Red Machine collaboration “No Time for Love Like Now,” and revisited “Driver 8.”

Watch Stipe’s performances of “Wendell Gee” and “Driver 8” below.

Last Friday, Stipe teamed up with Jason Isbell at a rally in Pittsburgh, during which he broke out “Driver 8” for the first time since 2008. During the brief set,...

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, many musicians have used their platforms to try to deliver some much-needed relief. Some have donated money, others have announced benefit concerts — now, joining those efforts is a massive compilation album featuring 135 previously-unreleased tracks from artists like R.E.M., Jeff Tweedy & Karly Hartzman, Jason Isbell, Fleet Foxes, Waxahatchee, Sylvan Esso, and many more.

Titled Cardinals at the Window, the compilation was officially released today, and is now available to purchase on Bandcamp. Curated by three North Carolina natives — musician and community organizer Libby Rodenbough, New Commute founder David Walker, and music journalist Grayson Haver Currin — the album will raise funds for three organizations: Rural Organizing and Resilience, BeLoved Asheville, and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

Across its 135 tracks, Cardinals at the Window features a combination of new recordings and previously-unreleased live tracks. In addition to the aforementioned artists, the compilation’s stacked lineup includes Mj Lenderman,...

Unreleased recordings by R.E.M., Mj Lenderman, the War on Drugs, Feist, Waxahatchee, and more than 100 other artists make up a newly released benefit compilation, Cardinals at the Window. Proceeds from the megacomp, available on Bandcamp, will help provide aid to victims of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina.

Other artists who contributed tracks to Cardinals at the Window include Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Angel Olsen, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Sharon Van Etten, Jeff Tweedy and Karly Hartzman, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, Sylvan Esso, Fleet Foxes, Little Brother,...

As the calendar turns over to October, so, too, does the programming of arthouse theaters turn to the spooky — and royalty-free — hallmarks of silent horror cinema. F. W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" is one popular choice for repertory screenings and live musical performances, and this year, the new Austin-based Silents Synced series is taking things a step further. Thanks to their hard work, "Nosferatu" will play in theaters all month long accompanied by a new soundtrack: Radiohead's seminal albums "Kid A" and "Amnesiac."

For some, the idea of mixing silent cinema with modern artists may feel like a YouTube video that has escaped its cage and run amok through the halls of film distribution. But having experienced the "Nosferatu" and Radiohead mashup for myself, I think there's more to the series than a cool poster. With this film and future releases — such as Buster Keaton's "Sherlock, Jr." mixed with...

Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell teamed up for a four-song set at a campaign rally in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

The performance kicked off with Stipe revisiting R.E.M.’s “The One I Love,” before the two sang Isbell’s songs “Traveling Alone” and “Hope the High Road.” They then closed out their mini-set with a rendition of R.E.M.’s “Driver 8.”

The duo were introduced by Harris’ husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. “So honored and just geeking out, nerding out and geeking out that I’m about to introduce Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell,” he said.

As for Stipe, it marked a rare live public performance for the former R.E.M. frontman. He most recently sang live at the Songwriters Hall of Fame event back in June, where he reunited with his former bandmates for a performance of “Losing My Religion.” During Friday’s rally,...

Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell are set to play a “Get Out the Vote” concert for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz’s campaign going down in Pittsburgh on Friday, October 4th.

The R.E.M. frontman and Isbell will be joined by a “special guest,” who is yet to be announced. Isbell previously performed at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year, where he played his working class anthem “Something More Than Free” and endorsed Kamala Harris for president.

Get Jason Isbell Tickets Here

The “Get Out the Vote” concert in Pittsburgh will be accessible via an RSVP form. Fans looking to attend will be required to RSVP, but it does not guarantee admission; guests who are confirmed will then receive information about the event time and location. Learn more about Pittsburgh’s “Get Out the Vote” concert here.

Stipe and Isbell are the latest musicians to perform in support of Harris and Walz’s campaign.

YouTube is engaged in ongoing negotiations with a music rights organization that protects the copyrights of major pop, rock, and hip-hop acts. That organization is called Sesac, and its lack of a deal with YouTube has restricted access to music videos from artists like Adele, Nirvana, R.E.M., and Kendrick Lamar.

The rights dispute doesn’t cover all of the videos by the affected artists, but several prominent clips have become unlisted, including Adele hits like “Someone Like You” and “Hello” and 90s classics like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Losing My Religion”. In total, Sesac licenses more than 1.5 million tracks on behalf of 15,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers, according to its website.

A YouTube spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that Sesac’s contract with the platform expired, and the two sides have thus far been unable to come to terms on a new deal. “We take copyright very seriously and as a result,...

Update: YouTube and Sesac have come to terms on a new deal. “Content (that was previously blocked) will be restored across YouTube services over the next day or two,” YouTube said in a statement on Monday night.

Hundreds of classic music videos and songs by Nirvana, Adele, Bob Dylan, Kendrick Lamar, Green Day, and hundreds more are currently unavailable on YouTube amid a copyright dispute between the video platform and the performance rights organization, Sesac.

A YouTube spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday, that the site and Sesac were “unable to reach an equitable agreement” before the expiration of their copyright deal.

“We take copyright very seriously and as a result, content represented by Sesac is no longer available on YouTube in the US,” the spokesperson said. “We are in active conversations with Sesac and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.”

With that, the...

Frances Bean Cobain and Riley Hawk have announced the arrival of their baby boy, Ronin Walker Cobain Hawk. He was born on Sept. 17.

Cobain shared three black-and-white photos via Instagram on Saturday: the first snapshot features a swaddled Ronin. In the second photograph, Ronin is seen grasping his mother’s index finger; and in the third, Hawk lovingly looks at Ronin as he cradles his son in his arms. “Welcome to the world most beautiful son,” Cobain captioned the post. “We love you more than anything.” Hawk also shared the...

Songs like Adele’s “Someone Like You,” Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Bob Dylan’s “I Want You” and R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” have been blocked by YouTube in a legal dispute with Sesac, a performance rights organization that deals with copyright issues for performers and publishers.

Other musicians affected by the blockage include Alice in Chains, Burna Boy and Fleetwood Mac. Though some of the artists’ songs display a black screen — which reads “Video unavailable” with the subhead “This video contains content from Sesac. It is not available in your country.” — not all tracks are affected.

Sesac is among several companies that helps songwriters protect their original work and collect royalties. Just as with Universal Music Group’s dispute with TikTok earlier this year, which resulted in four million songs from artists like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Adele being pulled from the social media platform for months,...

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy love R.E.M. more than most, and they are heading back on tour next year to celebrate 40 years of Fables of the Reconstruction by playing the album in full.

The US run follows the actor and guitarist’s February 2024 tour celebrating 40 years of R.E.M.’s Murmur. That trek concluded with a major performance in R.E.M.’s hometown of Athens, Georgia, where Shannon and Narducy were joined by the band’s original lineup for their first on-stage reunion in 17 years. Now, Shannon and Narducy are getting their own band back together to play the 1985 album Fables of the Reconstruction as well as a handful of other R.E.M. favorites.

Get Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy Tickets Here

The tour kicks off in Pioneertown, California on February 14th and continues with dates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Indianapolis, Athens, Washington D.C., Boston,...

MTV doesn’t air as many music videos as they used to, but the MTV Video Music Awards are still one of the most anticipated music events of each year. However, while the Grammys are voted on by the industry insiders who make up the Recording Academy, the VMAs have been decided by fans since 2006 (except for below-the-line professional categories like Best Direction and Best Cinematography). So who are the biggest winners of all time at these awards? Scroll down to see the most honored artists in history.

The VMA Moon Person trophies themselves are often overshadowed by the show’s drama and spectacle. Much of that spectacle comes from performances, like legendary provocateur Madonna performing “Like a Virgin” dressed as a bride in a bustier at the very first ceremony in 1984. She also famously sang “Vogue” dressed as Marie Antoinette in 1990, and she kissed Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears...

Over the past nine or so years the same strange and uncomfortable moment has been experienced by some of our top recording artists. Presumably, this is felt and marks an experience reserved just for them because of their talents, and it seems that it would hit as a combination of feelings: sheer dread and stark indignance or the sadness that comes with profound loss mixed with the malice that rides with betrayal or a theft. This is the moment when a handful of the most talented musicians of the past 50-plus years learned that Donald Trump, or his campaign team, has plucked one of their songs — in most cases, one of the musician’s finest hours — and used it, without permission, to propel his presidential campaign.

R.E.M., Guns N’ Roses, Neil Young — these are a few of the artists who likely felt the disbelief that comes with learning that their deeply personal work,...

A pair of Radiohead albums will be used as the soundtrack for screenings of the silent horror film Nosferatu this fall. Kid A and Amnesiac will be paired with the 1922 classic as the first installment of the Silents Synced series.

The world premiere of Silents Synced Presents Nosferatu will take place at Los Feliz Theater in Los Angeles on September 21st. Get tickets here.

After that, it’s slated to open wide on October 4th. Find out more information at the Silents Synced website,

“Silents Synced is a strategic format to draw new audiences to cinemas for a communal music experience like no other,” creator and CEO Josh Frank told Deadline earlier this summer. “The question for independent theater operators has become what can we do to inspire people to leave their homes outside of Hollywood blockbuster films? While traditional moviegoers will always be our lifeblood, music fans will go...

A pair of Radiohead albums will be used as the soundtrack for screenings of the silent horror film Nosferatu this fall. Kid A and Amnesiac will be paired with the 1922 classic as the first installment of the Silents Synced series.

The world premiere of Silents Synced Presents Nosferatu will take place at Los Feliz Theater in Los Angeles on September 21st. Get tickets here.

After that, it’s slated to open wide on October 4th. Find out more information at the Silents Synced website,

“Silents Synced is a strategic format to draw new audiences to cinemas for a communal music experience like no other,” creator and CEO Josh Frank told Deadline earlier this summer. “The question for independent theater operators has become what can we do to inspire people to leave their homes outside of Hollywood blockbuster films? While traditional moviegoers will always be our lifeblood, music fans will go...

Donald Trump’s campaign has been hit with yet another artist not wanting their music being used by the candidate. This time, Celine Dion’s management and record label called out the GOP presidential nominee’s campaign for its “unauthorized usage” of “My Heart Will Go On,” one of her signature hits from 1997’s Titanic.

On Friday, Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana featured a video of Dion performing the theme song for the film.

“And really, That song?” a statement shared on Dion’s social media reads.

Prince has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The induction took place on Saturday, July 27th at a 40th anniversary screening of Prince’s Purple Rain at the Target Center in his native Minneapolis. His induction marks the second time the Songwriters Hall of Fame has awarded an artist posthumously after inducting the late Cindy Walker in April.

Prince was inducted by Gilbert Davidson, a longtime colleague of the musician, who then bestowed the award to Prince’s sister, Sharon Nelson. “You will always remember his songs,” Nelson told the crowd. “This is the award he wanted more than any other in life — to be known as a great songwriter.”

Prince was originally supposed to be inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame a few different times — the organization’s policy requires that the songwriter must attend both the annual induction and the awards gala to be officially inducted,...

Martin Phillips, whose New Zealand band the Chills served as an influence on R.E.M. and Pavement, has died. He was 61.

His death was announced in a statement posted Sunday on the Chills’ social media accounts. No cause or date was given. New Zealand’s Otago Daily Times reported that Phillips had recently been admitted to Dunedin Hospital with liver problems.

The Chills were known for jangly guitar pop. Phillips was the band’s only constant member in a career that attracted an international following across four decades.

Neil Finn of Crowded House issued a statement Sunday, calling Phillips “one of Nz’s greatest songwriters” and described him as having been “fascinated by and devoted to the magic and mystery of music.”

Phillips formed the Chills in 1980 with his sister, Rachel, and the band signed to Flying Nun Records in 1982. The band’s first studio album, Brave Words, arrived in 1987.

Their follow-up,...