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Forever, based on the book by Judy Blume, has arrived on Netflix. The series stars Lovie Simone as Keisha Clark, Michael Cooper Jr. as Justin Edwards, Xosha Roquemore as Keisha’s mother Shelly, Karen Pittman as Justin’s mother Dawn and more.

Created and produced by Mara Brock Akil, who also serves as executive producer and showrunner, the story captures so strongly the feelings of first love between Keisha and Justin. Fifty years after the publishing of Blume’s hit young adult novel in 1975, Brock Akil has reimagined the story, which traces how first love creates a ripple effect into their futures after they reconnect after grade school in 2018’s Los Angeles.

Find the full soundtrack of Forever below:

Episode 1 – “Reunion”

“Prone” by Masego “Painted on Canvas” by Gregory Porter “Bad and Boujee” by Migos “Within” by Daft Punk “Might Be” by Anderson .Paak “Time Moves Slow” by Badbadnotgood feat.

In celebration of Black History Month, 70s on 7 is counting down the 50 best soul hits of the 1970s — according to you, our listeners!

70s on 7 Soul CountdownYour favorite soul hits of the ’70sListen on the App

Listen on the App

Voting has closed and the results have been tallied. Now you can listen to the countdown in full anytime on the SiriusXM app or catch it on-air on 70s on 7 (Ch. 7).

Top Soul Hits of the ’70s

Songs our listeners voted on:

“ABC” – The Jackson 5

“After the Love Has Gone” – Earth, Wind & Fire

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Diana Ross

“Ball of Confusion” – The Temptations

“Bad Girls” – Donna Summer

“Ben” – Michael Jackson

“Best of My Love” – The Emotions

“Boogie Down” – Eddie Kendricks

“Boogie Fever” – The Sylvers

“Boogie Nights” – Heatwave

“Boogie Oogie Oogie” – A Taste of Honey

“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” – Barry White

“Car Wash...

The Masked Singer season 12 had 15 mystery celebrity singers competing for the coveted Golden Mask trophy, and the Buffalos won the show and were revealed to be Boyz II Men. The Masked Singer season 12 welcomed back host Nick Cannon, along with panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora. Season 12 had three groups of five contestants, including Group A, Group B, and Group C.

The Masked Singer season 12 introduced Masked Ambassadors, who are alums of the show with special connections to the newest contestants. Season 12 also featured all-new theme nights, including Footloose Night, Miley Cyrus Night, Barbie Night, Sports Night, '60s Night, and Who Are You Fest Night, which featured music from memorable festival lineups. In addition, Soundtrack of My Life Night and Thanksgiving Night, which have been featured before, returned, and Thankgiving Night had a Peanuts theme. Here are all of the Masked Singer contestants who competed...

Season 12 of “The Masked Singer” continued Wednesday night on Fox, with four Group A contestants belting out classic hits from “Footloose.” Following the studio audience vote, Showbird became the second singer to unmask this season, revealing Emmy-nominated actress Yvette Nicole Brown. Watch our video interview above.

“I was blessed to be signed to Motown records under Michael Bivins when I was a teenager,” she reveals. “I was a member of the East Coast Family with Boyz II Men. Music was everything to me. My first love, but it didn’t love me back. I shifted when I moved to LA and started going into acting. Then acting took off and music was just something that I loved that I never got to do unless it was as a character. This is the first time I’m getting to sing in my own voice for everybody to hear.”

Her voice was...

Spoiler Alert: Details follow for Season 12, Episode 2 of “The Masked Singer,” “Footloose Night” which aired October 2 on Fox.

Wednesday night’s “The Masked Singer” reveal was an emotional one for “Community” star Yvette Nicole Brown, who was unmasked as Showbird on episode 2 of Season 12. As Brown was taping the episode she was also dealing with some personal matters involving the care of her father.

“Some of it felt heavy because I’m singing, but I’m thinking, ‘is daddy Ok,’” she told Variety. “But by the time I was revealed, I was able to kind of let that all out. Plus I got to surprise Ken, and it was everything that I hoped it would be!”

That’s “Ken” as in “The Masked Singer” panelist Ken Jeong, Brown’s “Community” co-star who of course guessed her right. Among the other panelists, Robin Thicke agreed with Jeong, while Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg thought it was Taraji P. Henson.

The Masked Singer is back!

A new episode of the mystery celebrity singing competition aired on Wednesday night (Oct. 2) on Fox.

The show, which began in South Korea, features celebrities singing songs while wearing costumes and face masks concealing their identities until they’re eliminated. Throughout the season, the contestants provide clues to try and help the judges and fans figure out who is under the mask.

This season also features Ambassadors, who are all alums of the series, that have a special connection to each singer and will be providing major new clues about their friends’ identities.

During the episode, Buffalo, Woodpecker, Showbird, and Ship hit the stage for another performance.

While on stage, Showbird performed “Let’s Hear It For the Boy” by Deniece Williams.

Click inside to check out all of the clues and guesses for Showbird…

Keep scrolling to check out the clues and guesses…

Masked Ambassador: Joel McHale,...

Tune in to “The Masked Singer” on Wednesday for the first theme night of season 12: a salute to the classic movie “Footloose.” Judge Robin Thicke is set to kick the show off in style, singing the Oscar-nominated title track. Later on in the hour, as you’ll see from the preview above, “Footloose” star Kevin Bacon makes an appearance.

The four remaining contestants from Group A — Buffalo, Ship, Showbird and Woodpecker — are set to take to the stage to perform tunes from this chart-topping soundtrack. Among the songs that they could sing are a trio of Top 10 hits first heard in the movie: “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams; “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson, and “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler. Other possible tracks include “Somebody’s Eyes” by Karla Bonoff and “I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man)” by Kenny Loggins,...

As revivals continue to flood mainstream entertainment, fans have wondered if the gang from 1984's Footloose might be next on the comeback list. However, Kevin Bacon, who starred in the film as Ren McCormack, says he has no plans to dust off his dancing shoes.

Speaking to Cinema Blend, while promoting his new film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel, Bacon completely shot down the idea when asked about the possibility of a Footloose revival. "Ren is not coming back," the actor said. "I mean, they did do another Footloose. I don't think a lot of people saw it, but they did do another Footloose," he added, referring to the 2011 reboot. "To me, I'm not that interested in I don't know. I think that this one [Beverly Hills Cop] makes a lot more sense."

Related MaXXXine's Kevin Bacon Reflects on Going 'Full Circle' for 80s-Set Horror Film Role

Exclusive: Friday the 13th...

Two simple yet iconic words from the film Footloose would seal Kevin Bacon and the theme song in 80s culture nostalgia for the rest of time — “Let’s dance!” This year would mark the 40th anniversary of the dance-themed high school movie. Dean Pitchford, who wrote the script and the songs for Footloose, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on June 13. Bacon would perform with his brother, Michael, in tribute to Pitchford, as well as “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” singer, Deniece Williams.

People got to speak with Bacon at the event, where he shared more insight into the role that changed his life.

“[Pitchford] was part of a group of people including the director and the producer who really wanted me to be in the movie — and the studio did not. I’ll never forget how...

Kevin Bacon reprised his role in Footloose to honor the title track’s songwriter, R.E.M. reunited after calling it quits 13 years ago and Sza said winning an honor for her songwriting “validates my entire career.” All this and more occurred at a jam-packed and starry Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards gala Tuesday night, as R.E.M., Timbaland, Steely Dan, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford officially became members of the prestigious organization’s 2024 class.

Jason Isbell honored R.E.M. — who split in 2011 after three decades of success — with a performance of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine).”

“I don’t know if humanity will make it another thousand years, but if we do, a weird kid in a tiny town will hear “Nightswimming” and feel [something],” Isbell said to cheers from the crowd.

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Bill Berry...

“If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me / Time after time / If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting / Time after time.”

Those are some of the lyrics from Cyndi Lauper’s iconic song “Time After Time.” Co-written by Lauper and Rob Hyman, it was the second single from the singer’s debut album, “She’s So Unusual.” And 40 years ago this month, “Time After Time” became her first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lauper had actually come very close to topping the chart earlier that year. Her debut single, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” made it to number-two in March 1984.

The soulful “Time After Time” knocked “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams from the Billboard top spot. “Time After Time” would remain there for a second week, but its “Time” was up when Duran Duran...

Keep Memory Alive honored Blake Shelton at the 27th annual Power of Love gala on Friday, May 10 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton perform at the 27th annual Keep Memory Alive Power of Love gala in Las Vegas

Credit/Copyright: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images

An esteemed lineup of entertainers came together to celebrate the country music sensation including Gwen Stefani, Jay Allen, Colbie Caillat, Kristin Chenoweth, Andy Grammer, Mickey Guyton, Gary LeVox, Cassadee Pope and Jay Pharaoh.

The Power of Love gala is a vital platform to generate funds to enable the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to find, fund, and facilitate the most effective and innovative research, treatment, and educational support programming for patients and their families affected by brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, multiple system atrophy and multiple sclerosis.

Other notable guests in attendance included Lisa Vanderpump,...

Below Deck alum Kate Chastain marked a significant milestone with her son Sullivan on Friday.

The little guy celebrated his first birthday, and Kate happily let her fans in on the festivities.

On Instagram, Kate shared a carousel of photos from Sullivan’s big day.

Sullivan was all smiles in the first couple of pictures, as Kate held a flower up for him to smell.

In the last pic, Sullivan was too cute for words with his messy hair, clothes, and look on his adorable face.

“Baby 1 year old birthday tuxedo for sale. Slightly used.” read the caption on Kate’s Ig post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kate Chastain (@kate_chastain)

The proud mama shared the same images on X (formerly Twitter) but used a different caption.

“1 year old going on 26...

Kevin Bacon, dancing away, in 4K? Footloose is coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in the UK, it’s been confirmed.

Paramount Pictures is wasting little time sorting new catalogue releases for the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format in 2024, with the news that the 1980s hit Footloose is heading to the format.

Already confirmed in America, a UK release has now been earmarked for February 12th 2024, and the film has gone up for order now. You can find it here.

Initially, it’s only available as a Steelbook release, although it’s expected that a regular 4K disc package isn’t far away. It’s the original film, incidentally, that’s getting the release, and not the remake.

Update: The regular, cheaper release is now confirmed for 13th May 2024. You can find it here.

Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow thus take the lead roles here, with Herbert Ross behind the camera.

On “The Masked Singer’s” “Shower Anthems Night,” it’s time to belt out some squeaky-clean tunes! The Group C contestants start the night with a show-stopping group performance, and then serenade the audience and panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora with iconic songs that are best sung at full volume in the shower! Nick Cannon hosts the wild and wacky fun.

The Season 11 contestants boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and have 1.7 billion Spotify streams!

Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 11, Episode 5, to find out what happened Wednesday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on Fox. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite costumed characters on Fox’s reality TV show and who you think has what it takes to win the entire competition.

See...

As a subgenre of music film, tour documentaries naturally have a solid boundary – the tour. This clear and limited objective seems fitting for Lil Nas X, who looks a bit uncomfortable with the premise at points in his first feature-length doc, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero. Streaming on Max starting Jan. 27, it follows the young, Grammy-winning firestarter from the summer of 2022, when he says he has just a month to put together his debut world tour of the same name. It then moves through opening night in Detroit and highlights stops in New York,...

Kevin Bacon has marked the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike by referencing his breakout role in Footloose.

Bacon shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) of himself line-dancing to the 1984 film's title track, co-written and performed by Kenny Loggins, accompanied by the caption "Strike Over!" The actor starred in Footloose as Ren McCormack, a music-loving Chicago teen who moves to a small town that has banned dancing and rock and roll, and inspires his classmates to rebel against the unfair ordinance. Despite mixed reviews, the film became a smash hit, with two of its tracks -- "Footloose" and "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams -- earning Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. Footloose went on to inspire a Broadway musical in 1998 and a remake in 2011.

Sony's Venom 3 Gets New Release Date as SAG-AFTRA Strike Ends

Strike over! @sagaftra pic.twitter.com/BshR7GIwGZ — Kevin Bacon...

While 1984's Footloose holds a significant place in Kevin Bacon's career, the actor didn't enjoy the fame that followed the film's success.

Footloose turned Bacon into a teen icon, but he felt the label prevented him from being seen as a serious actor. "When I became a pop star, the last thing I wanted to be was a pop star," he told the Podcrushed podcast (via Insider). "I had already moved into, 'I want to be Dustin Hoffman or Meryl or John Cazale or De Niro. I want to work with Scorsese. I want to do Chekhov.' You know what I mean? I was so into what my idea of ​​a serious actor was, and all of a sudden, I was given this thing that was completely not a serious actor. So I rejected it, full-on on. I tried to self-sabotage that piece of myself and my popularity.

Fred White, who played drummer for the Grammy-winning R&b band Earth, Wind & Fire during its 1970s and early-’80s heyday including such classic songs as “September” and “Shining Star,” has died. He was 67. His brother and bandmate Verdine White announced on social media that White was found dead on New Year’s morning.

“Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddy’ White,” he wrote (see the post below). “He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte and Ronald in heaven and is now with the angels.”

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Andrew Woolfolk Dies: Earth, Wind & Fire's Longtime Sax Player Was 71 Related Story Tennis Great Martina Navratilova Diagnosed With Stage 1 Throat And Breast Cancer

Fred White had been a drummer for Donny Hathaway and other acts when he joined Earth,...

On Dec. 22, pop lost one of its true influencers when Thom Bell died at the age of 79. As a producer, songwriter, and/or arranger, Bell was at the forefront of the Philadelphia Sound, the gorgeous R&b that dominated much of the pre-disco Seventies. Along with his peers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Bell injected a level of elegance and sophistication into R&b and pop as heard on records he made with the Spinners (“I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “Mighty Love,” “One...

Ryan Murphy’s “Dahmer” Netflix series just launched to some impressive premiere numbers, and considering how many people checked out the true crime limited series in its first week, its ’80s and ’90s-infused soundtrack is no doubt of interest.

Jeffrey Dahmer was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. In the 1980s and early 1990s, he committed a series of brutal murders, often dismembering his victims and keeping body parts as souvenirs. His crimes horrified the nation and captivated the media.

The Netflix limited series “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” chronicles Dahmer’s childhood and early adulthood, leading up to the first of his murders in 1978. It explores the events that shaped him into a serial killer, and the police investigation that eventually led to his capture. It’s hard to believe that he evaded escape for so long, given the lack of complexity in planning and executing his crimes.

For this season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” RuPaul Charles brought back eight crowned queens to compete again for the chance to be named “Queen of All Queens,” earn a second crown, and take home a cash prize of 200,000. Over the last 11 weeks we’ve reacclimatized ourselves to the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talents of Shea Couleé, Jaida Essence Hall, Yvie Oddly, Trinity the Tuck, Monét X Change, Jinkx Monsoon, Raja, and The Vivienne and were introduced to new twists: the Platinum Plunger and Legendary Legend Stars.

This week in the season finale, all eight queens competed one last time in two lip sync smackdowns for not one, but two crowns that determined who would become the Queen of She Already Done Had Hereses and the Queen of All Queens. In the main event smackdown were the four queens who earned the most Legendary Legend Stars during the season: Monét,...

Click here to read the full article.

Steve Fickinger, who received a Tony Award for producing the blockbuster musical Dear Evan Hansen after helping bring Newsies and The Lion King to Broadway as a Disney executive, has died. He was 62.

Fickinger died suddenly Friday at his home in Laguna Beach, his niece Jessica Roy announced.

As director of creative development for Walt Disney Feature Animation, Fickinger worked on Mulan, Tarzan and Lilo & Stitch, then served as vp creative development for the Disney Theatrical Group, where he supervised the launch of a half-dozen Broadway shows, including The Lion King and Aida.

Fickinger also oversaw the Tony-winning production of Newsies, the national tour of High School Musical and the long-running Broadway production of Aladdin.

Following two decades at Disney, he exited in 2013 and created FickStern Productions, and its first endeavor, Dear Evan Hansen, opened on Broadway in 2016 en route to collecting six Tonys,...

Steve Fickinger, an ex-Disney creative executive and the independent producer behind “Dear Evan Hansen” and other musicals, died last week at age 62. His niece, Jessica Roy, announced via Facebook that he passed away “suddenly” at his Laguna Beach, California, home on Friday. No cause of death was revealed.

A former stage actor, Fickinger worked his way up from the Disney mail room to become the Director of Creative Development for animated features. During his tenure, he shepherded beloved Disney classics “Mulan,” “Tarzan” and “Lilo & Stitch.”

He would go on to oversee the development of Broadway shows like “Aida” and the six-time Tony-winning musical “The Lion King” in his role as Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group. Fickinger also had a direct hand in the Tony-winning production of “Newsies,” as well as the musical adaptations of “High School Musical” and “Aladdin.”

Also Read:

Tony Siragusa, Former NFL Champion and Fox Sports Analyst,...

Steve Fickinger, the Broadway producer who won a Tony for “Dear Evan Hansen,” died suddenly on Friday in Laguna Beach, Calif., representatives confirmed to Variety. He was 62.

Born in Winnetka, Ill., Fickinger began his career at Disney as a temp mail room worker, and worked his way up to become director of creative development for Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he oversaw the production of animated films including “Mulan,” “Tarzan” and “Lilo and Stitch.”

He later transitioned to the Disney Theatrical Group, where he served as V.P. of creative development. He supervised six Broadway productions during his tenure as vice president, including the Tony-winning “The Lion King,” “Aida,” “Newsies” as well as “Aladdin” and the national tour of “High School Musical.” He additionally oversaw Disney Theatrical’s musicals in schools initiative, which provided free resources and teaching artists to underfunded arts programs in schools.

Fickinger left Disney in 2013 to...

Steve Fickinger, a Tony Award-winning producer of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen who, as a longtime creative executive with Disney Theatrical Group helped spearhead the development of such stage shows as Newsies and Aladdin, died suddenly at his home in Laguna Beach, California, on June 17. He was 62.

His death was announced by his niece, Jessica Roy. A cause of death was not specified.

In a two-decade career with Disney, which began as a temp in the mail room, Fickinger worked in the mid-1990s as Director of Creative Development for Walt Disney Feature Animation, overseeing such projects as Mulan, Tarzan, and Lilo and Stitch. From 1992 to 2012, he was Vice President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group, supervising six Broadway shows including six-time Tony Award-winning The Lion King and Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida.

Fickinger also oversaw the Broadway production of Newsies, the national tour of High School Musical,...

Andrew Woolfolk, the longtime saxophonist for Earth, Wind, and Fire and reliable hired gun for a slew of other artists, died Sunday, April 24. He was 71.

Earth, Wind, and Fire vocalist Phililp Bailey confirmed Woolfolk’s death on Instagram. Bailey noted that Woolfolk had been “ill [for] over a 6 years,” and in a separate statement shared with Rolling Stone, he added that Woolfolk had been battling the “effects of a debilitating stroke.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Philip J. Bailey (@philipbaileyewf)

“I met him in high school, and...

Andrew Woolfolk, who played saxophone for Grammy-winning R&b band Earth, Wind & Fire during its 1970s and early-’80s heyday, has died after a long illness. He was 71. Ewf’s Philip Bailey announced the news on social media.

“Great Memories. Great Talent,” the singer wrote about Woolfolk. “Funny. Competitive. Quick witted. And always styling. Booski… I’ll see you on the other side, my friend. See the Instagram post below.

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

Woolfolk played with Earth, Wind & Fire when it was among the biggest R&b acts in the country, joining the group in 1973 and playing on its gold or platinum albums from Head to the Sky to 1983’s Powerlight and beyond. The group scored eight consecutive Top 10 albums from 1975-81, including the chart-topping That’s the Way of the World and live set Gratitude.

Earth, Wind & Fire also had seven Top 10 pop singles during that era,...

DJ Cassidy, whose popular “Pass the Mic” all-star video jams were most recently part of the Biden/Harris inaugural programs, has made a deal with BET to produce six “Mic” specials during 2021, all of them set to follow the network’s annual awards shows or other major programming.

The first of the six, dubbed “DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic: The BET After Party,” is now in production and set to air immediately following the NAACP Image Awards on March 27.

“I’ll continue to be celebrating my musical heroes of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s through their iconic records of all eras and genres,” Cassidy tells Variety. “I grew up watching BET, and I was exposed to many if not all of my musical heroes through watching their music videos on ‘Video Soul,’ ‘Rap City’ or their many other shows. So to partner with the network to bring ‘Pass the...

Last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (Ladf) partnered with RWQuarantunes to raise funds to provide 3.3 Million meals to the most vulnerable Angelenos impacted by Covid-19.

The star-studded virtual event, which streamed live from Dodger Stadium to more than 2,000 viewers, raised over $1.1 Million to support the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and the foundation’s efforts to feed the hungry in Los Angeles.

The celebration featured appearances by the 2020 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodger legends, and current players including Trevor Bauer, Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Joe Kelly, Max Muncy, David Price, Will Smith, Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela, Andre Ethier, and many more current and former teammates.

The night was packed with memorable moments, appearances and performances from musicians and actors including Ted Danson & Mary Steenburgen, Bob Costas, DJ Cassidy, Dan + Shay, Joe Esposito, Lisa Lisa, Swv, Shanice, En Vogue, Boys II Men, Bobby Brown, TLC, Keith Sweat, New Edition,...

DJ Cassidy’s popular “Pass the Mic” webcast series is going to TV on Thanksgiving weekend… and going totally ’80s. BET’s Nov. 29 broadcast of “The Soul Train Awards” will be immediately followed by a second prime-time special that will bring Cassidy’s all-star medleys, usually seen via Twitch and YouTube, to a network for the first time. And while the star DJ isn’t revealing any names yet, he is telling Variety that this edition of his mic-pass will bring together the leading lights of R&b from a decade that happens to be his favorite

Or maybe something more like just a half-decade, to get specific about it. “When I think about ‘Soul Train’ and the long legacy that spans decades,” he says, “I am immediately drawn into thinking about the 1980s. particularly the first half of the decade. The sounds of the R&b records that came...

As the pandemic-induced economic crisis decimates the music industry, many musicians and songwriters are scrambling to make a living. For those who have written songs but yet to receive payment through traditional sources — publishers and performing rights collection agencies — a number of financial companies are vying to help.

Royalty Advance, Sound Royalties, and Lyric Financial are three companies that work in much the same way as personal injury loans do where a cash advance is given against an expected legal settlement. Lenders conduct a forensic analysis of a songwriter’s generated royalties.

Emmy-nominated and Grammy-winning songwriter Allee Willis died Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. She was 72. Willis’ long-term partner Prudence Fenton announced her death on Instagram. “Rest In Boogie Wonderland Nov 10,1947-December 24, 2019,” Fenton wrote next to a photo of Willis, referring to one of the Earth, Wind & Fire hits Willis had co-written.

Willis also composed “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts, which was used as a theme song for NBC’s hugely popular comedy series Friends and became one of the biggest TV theme song hits ever. “I’ll Be There for You” earned Willis an Emmy nomination.

Willis also co-wrote the Broadway musical The Color Purple and the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, winning Grammy awards for both.

In addition to “Boogie Wonderland”, Willis’ collaboration with Earth,...

This article marks Part 17 of the Gold Derby series analyzing 84 years of Best Original Song at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at the timeless tunes recognized in this category, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the winners.

The 1984 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:

“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” from “Against All Odds”

“Footloose” from “Footloose”

“Let’s Hear It for the Boy” from “Footloose”

“Ghostbusters” from “Ghostbusters”

“I Just Called to Say I Love You” from “The Woman in Red”

Won: “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from “The Woman in Red”

Should’ve won: “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” from “Against All Odds”

Stevie Wonder‘s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” is a sweet, charmingly corny trifle, easily the most notable thing from Gene Wilder‘s midlife...

Three, two, one…Happy karaoke time! As Kris Jenner enjoys the last days of 2016 in Aspen, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was spotted enjoying a night of music and impromptu performances with family and close friends. Kourtney Kardashian took to Snapchat Friday night where she couldn't help but document her mom's skills with the microphone. The results are nothing short of must-see. "And people say we have no talent," Kourtney joked on the popular app as she recording her mom singing along to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Kanye West's "Mercy" and Deniece Williams' classic single "Let's Hear It for the...

Showing she is more than the KarJenners’ momager, Kris Jenner rapped and sang during a raucous karaoke set with longtime pal Faye Resnick during a night out in Aspen.

In several videos posted to Kourtney Kardashian‘s Snapchat account on Friday, Jenner, 61, started her karaoke session with her rendition of Beyoncé‘s 2008 song “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Resnick also joined in on the fun as the two sang from what appeared to be a bar.

Jenner and Resnick’s friendship dates back decades. Most recently, Jenner and Resnick were depicted in Ryan Murphy’s award-winning series The People vs.

In the wake of Natalie Cole's death, many have taken to social media to pay their respects to the late Grammy-winning singer. The "Unforgettable" songbird, 65, died Thursday in Los Angeles of complications from an ongoing medical condition. "Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain Unforgettable in our hearts forever," said son Robert Yancy and sisters Timolin and Casey Cole in a statement. "We are very saddened to learn of the passing of one of music’s most celebrated and iconic women,...

Indiana's coolness took a south bend this week when Gov. Mike Pence signed into law a bill that allows businesses to turn away Lgbt customers on the grounds of "religious freedom." Sort of makes you wish that "not sucking" was a religion.  To remind Indiana lawmakers why their nonsense is, well, nonsense, let's take a look at some gay icons and iconography that originated in Indiana. If you're so concerned about protecting the hatred of gay people, why do these folks below rule so much?    Adam Lambert, our Precious Moments figurine version of George Michael The wailing "American Idol" runner-up came out in the most decadent way possible: with a Rolling Stone cover story and salacious serpentine imagery. Lambert was raised in Southern California but was born in Indianapolis, which basically makes him a living version of "Saved by the Bell."  "Let's Hear It for the Boy" queen Deniece Williams...

“Yo, Shonda Rhimes, I love ABC’s #Tgit programming block. And I’ma let you finish. But American Idol just had one of the craziest Thursdays of all time!”

Ok, I’m sorry. You probably didn’t come here expecting a Kanye West reference — @KimKierkegaardashian’s genius Twitter feed is more my style — in an Idol recap. But my brain just went from the frying pan into the active volcano after Season 14’s Top 10 performance telecast (a confusing label, given that there were 11 singers on stage all night, with one awaiting the bad news that he or she was the...

Against all odds, there will be no Phil Collins ballad — or any soundtrack cuts from The Bodyguard, Frozen, Titanic and Armageddon — when the American Idol Top 10 (plus one contestant on the brink of elimination) tackle “Songs from the Movies tonight (8/7c on Fox).

RelatedReality Check: ‘All Bets Are Off’ on American Idol! Plus: Is Crazy Failure Worse Than a Total Lack of Risk?

That’s good news for Idoloonies who’ve vowed to crawl into their dryers and turn to lint at the sound of one more hopeful belting the umpteenth rendition of “I Have Nothing.”

More important than what the Top 10 won’t tackle,...

After the spectacle of Blackpool Week, it's time for the remaining eight dancers to head back to the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, with another couple set to leave this weekend.

With little more than half of them remaining, it's never been more important for the celebrities to impress on Saturday night. So read on to find out what your favourite celeb will be dancing - and what song they'll be doing it to...

Caroline Flack & Pasha Kovalev

Dance: American Smooth

Song: 'Mack the Knife' - Robbie Williams

Frankie Bridge & Kevin Clifton

Dance: Viennese Waltz

Song: 'What's New Pussycat?' - Tom Jones

Jake Wood & Janette Manrara

Dance: Samba

Song: 'Macarena' - Los Del Rio

Mark Wright & Karen Hauer

Dance: Tango

Song: 'Love Runs Out' - OneRepublic

Pixie Lott & Trent Whiddon

Dance: Charleston

Song: 'Sparkling Diamonds' - Moulin Rouge

Simon Webbe & Kristina Rihanoff

Dance: Salsa

Song: 'Let's Hear...

Friday, June 8th, 1984 was quite a day. Homosexuality was decriminalized in New South Wales, Australia; an F5 tornado struck the town of Barnevald, Wisconsin, USA, destroying 90% of it; President Ronald Reagan attended a summit in London; the Celtics beat the Lakers 121-103 to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA finals; TV gameshow “Press Your Luck” paid out the biggest ever jackpot (to that point) of $110,000 to one Michael Larson who had figured out how to beat the system; and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” was poised to knock Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” off the Billboard Charts number one spot. Oh, and modern classics “Ghostbusters” and “Gremlins” were both released. Coming just the week after “Once Upon a Time in America” hit screens, while “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” was still in cinemas and followed a fortnight later by both “The Karate Kid” and “Top Secret!

Cassadee Pope came to seem like the inevitable winner of Season Three of The Voice. The young Florida singer, fresh out of her major-label contract with her previous band Hey Monday, sang her way into a career reboot and last night took the Voice title for Team Blake, champs now for the second season in a row.

Pope's win started to seem like a foregone conclusion after she scored a bona fide chart hit with her coach-penned song "Over You," which, given the new rules of ranking for this season,...

From men taking off their shirts in 'Magic Mike' to Anastasia Steele embracing adventurous sex in '50 Shades of Grey' -- this summer is all about leveling the playing field when it comes to sexually objectifying men and women in society. Let's hear it for the... girls? I'd like to see Deniece Williams remake "Let's Hear It For The Boy" -- 2012-style -- because modern day women are embarking on a new sexual revolution and pop culture has proved to be on board for the wild ride. 50 Shades of Grey has sparked worldwide controversy because of its sexually explicit content, and Magic Mike -- starring Channing Tatum -- is all about male strippers! And the best part is women of all ages aren't embarrassed to shout from the mountain top that that's the book they're reading or the movie they can't wait to see this summer. This is a new kind of sexual revolution.

Sesame Street remains the gold standard for children's television, but it also boasts some of the best original music and parodies of the past 43 years. It's garnered more Emmys than can fit in Hooper's Store, and it's phalanx of celebrity guests is staggering. Last week writer Judy Freudberg, who wrote for the show for 35 seasons, died of a brain tumor at age 62, which got me thinking about the show's wonderful past. Today, let's revisit the show's 10 greatest (and arguably, in many cases, gayest) musical moments. Those hyperlinks within the subheads link to the original video. Jamming yet, fellow Cookie Monsters?

1. Neil Patrick Harris finally admits that he's the Shoe Fairy

Yep, that's Neil Patrick Harris adorned in wings and a creamy suit (with some nutty Charles Nelson Reilly neckwear!) singin' about shoes. He's like Telly's personal shopper here, which is nothing short of spectacular. If he were an official pop star,...

June 3: Game-show host Chuck Barris ("The Gong Show") is 83. Singer Ian Hunter is 73. Singer Eddie Holman is 66. Bassist Too Slim of Riders in the Sky is 64. Singer Suzi Quatro is 62. Singer Deniece Williams is 61. Singer Dan Hill is 58. Actor Scott Valentine ("Family Ties") is 54. Guitarist Kerry King of Slayer is 48. Singer Mike Gordon of Phish is 47. Newsman Anderson Cooper is 45. Country singer Jamie O'Neal is 44. Singers Ariel and Gabriel Hernandez of No Mercy are 41. Actor Vik Sahay ("Chuck") is 41. Actress Lalaine Dupree ("Lizzie McGuire") is 25.

June 4: Actor Bruce Dern is 76. Singer-actress Michelle Phillips (The Mamas and The Papas) is 68. Bassist Danny Brown of The Fixx is 61. Actor Parker Stevenson is 60. Singer El DeBarge is 51. Singer Al B. Sure! is 44. Actor Scott Wolf ("Party of Five") is 44. Ron Huebel ("What to Expect When You're Expecting") is 43. Comedian Horatio Sanz ("Saturday Night Live") is 43. Actor Noah Wyle ("ER") is 41. Bassist...

New stars name Ariel's red boots, Ren's Vw Beetle and Willard's dance montage as their favorite call-outs to 1984 original.

By Kara Warner‬

Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough in "Footloose"

Photo: Paramount Pictures

For the "Footloose" purists out there who are worried about how the Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough-starring remake pays homage to the Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer-led original, fear not: There are more than enough nods to the 1984 dance classic in director Craig Brewer's 2011 version.

When MTV News caught up with the cast and Brewer, who have also assured us that their film stands on its own, we asked them to reveal their favorite scenes that were directly inspired by the original film.

"My red boots," Hough said, speaking to the fancy footwear that both she and Singer's versions of the character Ariel wear.

"The Bug," Wormald said of his and Bacon's characters owning a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle.

New stars name Ariel's red boots, Ren's Vw Beetle and Willard's dance montage as their favorite call-outs to 1984 original.

By Kara Warner‬

Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough in "Footloose"

Photo: Paramount Pictures

For the "Footloose" purists out there who are worried about how the Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough-starring remake pays homage to the Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer-led original, fear not: There are more than enough nods to the 1984 dance classic in director Craig Brewer's 2011 version.

When MTV News caught up with the cast and Brewer, who have also assured us that their film stands on its own, we asked them to reveal their favorite scenes that were directly inspired by the original film.

"My red boots," Hough said, speaking to the fancy footwear that both she and Singer's versions of the character Ariel wear.

"The Bug," Wormald said of his and Bacon's characters owning a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle.

Jana Kramer Limited One Tree Hill Season 9 Role?

We’ve known for quite a while now that Jana Kramer would have a limited role in the final season of One Tree Hill due to her busy schedule. Well it seems like her part will be smaller than originally thought. During an interview, Kramer spoke about her character, Alex, briefly. She explains that Alex will only appear in the first two episodes on the season. Her storyline will need to be wrapped up fast if they want to send her out on a satisfying note. The last thing anyone wants is to feel like a character wasn’t given a proper farewell.

Kramer goes on to mention that this season will feel like a good ending, specifically to those who have been watching since the beginning. With all the callbacks the show is making to characters that have come and gone,...

When "Footloose" hit theaters in 1984, its soundtrack sat atop the Billboard 200 Pop Album chart for more than two months. Kenny Loggins' "Footloose" and Deniece Williams' "Let's Hear It for the Boy" not only went to #1 on the Hot 100, they were also nominated for Oscars. They both lost to the Stevie Wonder hit "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from "The Woman in Red." -Inserts:26- This Friday, the "Footloose" remake will waltz into theaters. It includes several new tunes that could feature in the Best Original Song race at the Oscars. As songs must be written especially for the film they are featured in to compete, this excludes new versions of the original's classic hits such as Blake Shelton's cover of the title track. However, the soundtrack's first single by country duo Big & Rich titled "Fake I.D." may qualify. The same could be true of Zac Brown.