Spice Girls reunion won't include tour or new music

The city, not the TV show.

Although...

Singer songwriter Jake Bugg has been choosing the Tracks of My Years with Ken Bruce this week.

Listen above as he talks about his great love of the Nashville music scene and how it influenced his latest album A Heart That Strains, which was recorded in the home of country.

Jake said: "I just fell in love with the fact that everyone around played music to such a good level."

Listen above.

The rapper announced earlier this week that he was releasing an album KOD on Friday.

Now he has shared the tracklist and cover art for the LP.

To be honest, we're not sure what to make of it - it looks like cartoon kids using drugs while a vacant eyed J Cole wearing a crown looms over them.

The cover reads, “This album is in no way intended to glorify addiction.”

If this is his audition to present an episode of Cbeebies' Bedtime Stories then he might want a rethink.

It's been two years since his last album,4 Your Eyes Only.

J is headlining one of the nights at the Wireless festival in London in July.

While Ed Sheeran may have everything his little heart desires it seems even he is not exempt from constant ribbing from his colleagues.

Ed's own personal bouncer, 'Security Kev', has posted a series of Instagram pictures of him and the singer/songwriter in various comical situations.

The above picture of Ed tucking into a hot dog with Kev in the background is accompanied by the words; "I’m always watching. He’s always eating.#whoateallthepies#imthedaddy"

The below picture has another cracking caption too.

"When bae wants to cross the road without looking left or right. don't be mean about his wonky eyes."

Ed probably can't even sack Kev now... he knows too much.

Meet Hailu Mergia, he's a huge star in his native Ethiopia.

He lives in Washington and drives a taxi, sometimes composing in the back of his car.

Hannah Long-Higgins has been speaking to him for the BBC.

Watch above.

Hailu's tale reminds us of the story of a certain Michigan labourer...

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More than 60 independent British festivals - including Boardmasters and Bestival - have pledged to rid their sites of single-use plastic by 2021.

As a minimum, those festivals have committed to banning the use of plastic straws this year.

It's hoped that will extend to items such as plastic bottles in the future.

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) says it wants festival-goers to think about "re-use", not "single-use".

Paul Reed, AIF's chief executive, says a three-year target to eradicate single-use plastic is a "realistic timetable" but admits there will be "operational challenges" for festivals that run on tight budgets.

Sixty-one festivals have signed up to the AIF's Drastic On Plastic campaign, with no members choosing to opt out.

He told Newsbeat:

Quote Message: Considering the environmental impact of our industry it does feel like it's really time to take some collective and affirmative action.

Considering the environmental impact of our industry it does feel like it's really time to take some collective and affirmative action.

It comes as the government proposes a ban on plastic straws and cotton buds.

Read more.

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At Eurosonic Festival in January, A Greener Festival (AGF) officially recognized the efforts of those European festivals that do their fair share for the planet, with a series of awards.

Director Teresa Moore told MNL that they are encouraging festival-goers too to drink from a re-usable cup, in order to avoid unnecessary use of plastics.

"One of the big news items at the moment is plastics. How do we reduce our reliance on plastics?," she said.

Quote Message: Festivals always used to have single-use plastic cups but increasingly what we are trying to do - and Glastonbury Festival have worked on for a number of years now - is to introduce the idea of a cup

Festivals always used to have single-use plastic cups but increasingly what we are trying to do - and Glastonbury Festival have worked on for a number of years now - is to introduce the idea of a cup

"It’s not made of plastic, its made made of steel and the festival goer will use it for everything, their beer, water etc.

"You can either buy that cup or return it and that can be washed and used again.

Read more.

Well done that man.

The singer smashed out a rendition of his track In My Blood (above) in the Live Lounge earlier, as well as demonstrating his rapping skills on a cover of Post Malone's Psycho (below).

"A voice from heaven" wrote one fan.

There's a lot of Shawn love out there it seems.

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The multi-Grammy winning musican, whose father was bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs, has died at the age of 64 following a brief illness

He was named Musician of the Year by the Country Music Awards in 1999, 2003 and 2006 and he recorded with the likes of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette and the Dixie Chicks.

At the age of just 9-years-old, Randy appeared alongside his dad on his syndicated TV series and only four years later he took part in his first recording session.

Johnny Cash's daughter Roseanne called him "a sweet soul".

Read more.

Speaking of new music...

Blossoms are well into the comeback trail and their new single ‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls) or TARWINRYC as no-one will call it, is to be Annie Mac's Hottest Record later.

If it's a hot as the weather outside right now, then it will be a scorcher.

Seriously, can someone send us in emergency ice cream?...

As well as showing off her new blonde look, Ariana has teased us with 29 seconds of her new track, No Tears Left to Cry.

The song, her first since the tragic Manchester attack which saw 22 music fans lose their lives after one of her gigs last May, is set for release tomorrow.

For now though, here's what we have - just a few oooos and aaaaahs.

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Presumably he's just looking for a new (Bank of) England.

"The last time I was at the Bank of England I was kettled," recalls the singer/songwriter.

That was in 2013, when the social reformer was protesting outside against government cuts.

This time he will be giving a talk inside about reform capitalism.

He was invited by the bank, which apparently wants to broaden the type of people it hears from to improve its understanding of the UK and its economy.

Seriously, it's only taken them over 300 years to figure that one out?

Billy told the BBC's Today programme that quantitative easing - the most simple definition is basically printing more notes - should have been spent on people, not the banks and that billions of pounds worth of QE carried out by the Bank of England "has not got into the real economy".

"It's still sloshing around in the financial sector and that money was put forward to help corporates feel secure after the financial crash in 2008."

QE was widely used by central banks in leading economies, including the UK, after the financial crisis.

Quote Message: I don't see why that sort of money, the QE money, couldn't be directed to schools, to hospitals and to a national investment bank what works with small and medium-sized enterprises.

I don't see why that sort of money, the QE money, couldn't be directed to schools, to hospitals and to a national investment bank what works with small and medium-sized enterprises.

Read more.

PACopyright: PA

Following yesterday's brilliantly manic series of musings from returning tweeter, philosopher and all round entertainer Kanye West, Newsbeat have been taking a deeper look behind the meanings of some of his rather opaque messages.

As part of his live stream of consciousness the rapper announced he was writing a book on philosophy, like.... right now, on Twitter.

"Oh by the way this is my book that I'm writing in real time," he wrote on Twitter.

"No publisher or publicist will tell me what to put where or how many pages to write."

He always was a trailblazer.

Kanye had taken an 11-month hiatus from Twitter, but returned this week with widely-shared tweets he says are the result of "an innate need to be expressive".

There was no mention of new music (although he's expected to release an album this year) - but we did learn a lot about how Kanye's mind works.

Lesson #1: He likes some 'me time' in the morning.

Kanye has clearly never done an early shift or had to get the babies up...

Read more.

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Every time he gives an interview, lots of fans wish they could tell the former Smiths singer: "Shut up, Morrissey."

The latest interview, in which he said London Mayor Sadiq Khan "cannot talk properly" and Brexit "did not happen", was met with such dismay by many.

That reaction has prompted a woman who designed tote bags bearing the slogan "Shut up, Morrissey", which sold out last year, to restart production.

Manchester-based Verity Longley is now making more to meet the demand.

Ms Longley, 32, originally designed the bags in 2016 after hearing The Smiths being played loudly from a festival near her house.

"Me and my friend were just, ugh, shut up," she says. "And then it made us laugh. And we thought, actually, this is quite funny and he really does need to shut up."

So she got several dozen bags printed - but they didn't really take off until he posted a message criticising the reactions of politicians and the Queen the day after the Manchester Arena attack last May.

After that, she had more than 500 orders in 48 hours, and gave the £1,730 profit to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.

Read more.

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It's going to be a big summer for the Swedish singer - earlier this month she was added to the lineup of the 6 Music leg of BBC Music's Biggest Weekend and now she has announced a new album with two new tracks to listen to.

So Sad So Sexy, her fourth album arrives on 8 June.

She's been working with Frank Ocean's producer Malay on one new track Deep End and another called Hard Rain (below) has been produced by former Vampire Weekend member turned solo artist Rostam.

It's been four years since Lykke's last album I Never Learn.

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This might be one for all the superfans out there.

The later singer's Paisley Park estate near Minneapolis - which became a permanent museum in 2016 - is apparently looking for a archives supervisor.

According to Pitchfork, the job includes responsibility of maintaining artifacts (including Prince's remains in an urn).

The ad has been posted to the American Alliance of Museums’ career website for a full-time position in the Archives Department.

You may even get a key to 'the vault'... Who knows?

Read more.

Meanwhile, in the US, NBC has reported possible charges could be made in relation to Prince‘s death.

He was found alone and unresponsive in his Paisley Park estate on 21 April in 2016 having overdosed on the opoid fentanyl.

As more tributes are paid to the late TV show host, 5 live reporter Colin Paterson remembered his starring role in this Britpop classic (above).

Also fact fans... Did you know that Dale had a cameo in the original Trainspotting movie?

Radio X hadn't forgotten.

We won't say better as that would be massively disrespectful to Queen Bey but the fact is that the Bronx rapper has just broken two of the singer's US chart records.

Cardi now has the official Guinness World Records titles for most simultaneous Billboard US Hot 100 entries by a female and most simultaneous Billboard US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Top 10 entries by a female.

We're not sure that's enough to send Bey - fresh from a defining Coachella headline slot - into some kind of self-destructive tailspin but it's proof positive of the impact that Cardi is having on US music right now.

Also when was the last time Beyonce did a pregnant twerk on stage? Ask yourselves that...

Sorry to be the bearers of bad news folks.

Posh Spice Victoria Beckham has told Grazia magazine that the main reason the 90s five piece are getting back together is to continue the message of 'girl power' for the youth of today.

Tongues began wagging when Vic posted a picture of the girls all gathered together at Geri's house in February, then there was talk in the press of "exploring new opportunities".

Naturally we all thought:

• New album
• World tour
• Royal wedding

There is talk of an animated Spice Girls superhero film being in the offing and You Gov deemed it relevant again to find out who the nation's favourite Spicie was and what your answer to that question said about you.

Now, speaking to the fashion mag, Mrs B, who runs her own clothes label, said: “There is no tour, no more music from the Spice Girls, but it was great getting together with them.

"We were just saying girl power is such an important message and how do we communicate that?

Quote Message: How do we pass the baton on, how does that look to future generations?

How do we pass the baton on, how does that look to future generations?

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“And that’s what it’s about with us. It’s not all about the rumours about going on tour and recording new material.”

She added: “I think girl power has always been important. And now, for me, it’s about empowering women through fashion.”

Just say you'll be there Victoria, whatever happens.

Ash KingstonCopyright: Ash Kingston

We are almost into the Proms season and if you think it's all about Debussy and Shostakovich then you're totally wrong.

This year's season sees Proms devoted to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop - where the theme to Doctor Who was created - and specially commissioned pieces by the likes of Laura Mvula.

Conductor Jules Buckley, who has recently toured his Classical Ibiza show with DJ Pete Tong will also celebrate the musical legacy of the Big Apple.

With guest artists drawn from across NYC, the Late Night Prom features new music from some of the city’s rising stars, including singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten, serpentwithfeet (pictured above) and dance veterans Hercules and Love Affair (below).

Read more about this year's line-up.

And as "the world's greatest classical music festival" returns, it's time to pit your wits against the BBC Proms horribly difficult music quiz.

Read more.