Music News LIVE: Black Eyed Peas reunion, Busted return...

EurovisionCopyright: Eurovision

With the Eurovision final just a couple of days away, tonight is the second semi-final so if you plan on watching and voting on tonight's acts - here is tonight's scorecard. 

Meanwhile, our reporter Helen Bushby is in Stockholm gearing up for the event and meeting some of the fans making their way to Sweden... 

Quote Message: Owen's got all his Eurovision paraphernalia packed in his suitcase - inflatable union flag lips, an inflatable electric guitar and of course, a giant British flag to wave. But he did whip out a cheeky pair of sunglasses from his hand luggage to get him in the mood.

Owen's got all his Eurovision paraphernalia packed in his suitcase - inflatable union flag lips, an inflatable electric guitar and of course, a giant British flag to wave. But he did whip out a cheeky pair of sunglasses from his hand luggage to get him in the mood.

Read more

ReutCopyright: Reut

The list of acts performing at next weekend's Billboard Music Awards keeps growing, with Ariana Grande, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani just added to the line-up - the latter two to perform their duet. 

The pair - who are both judges on The Voice in the US and also happen to be dating - recorded Go Ahead and Break My Heart for Shelton's recent album. 

Scroll down for news of Madonna's special Prince tribute. 

Abba's Björn Ulvaeus talks Eurovision, the UK's recent poor form and this year's competition.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Man-of-the-moment Skepta has been chatting to 1xtra DJ Semtex about his new album Konnichiwa, which is currently battling Radiohead at the top of the UK album chart. 

In an in-depth, 52-minute interview the pair talk about growing up, the influence of albums like Biggie‘s Ready To Die and Snoop Dogg‘s Doggystyle, internal battles, Dizzee Rascal and Drake. 

Watch the interview

PACopyright: PA

Music oft hath such a charm / To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.  

So wrote the Bard in his play Measure for Measure, more than 400 years ago.

But William Shakespeare still looms large in much of today's modern music. Ask the Arctic Monkeys (I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor) or The Lumineers (Ophelia) or even Iron Maiden (The Evil That Men Do).

Other artists influened directly, or indirectly, by Shakespeare include Elbow and Radiohead.

Read more

The Manics have released the video for the song which will accompany Wales to France for this summer's Euro 2016 competition.

Thankfully rather than the Welsh players subjecting us to their woeful singing, the music is kept to the professionals in this uplifting number, which does feature obligatory snatches of football commentary.

See what you think... 

BBCCopyright: BBC

But other people... not so much.

There's definitely a split between those who can't wait till can't wait till the first new Stone Roses track in 21 years drops at 20:00 BST, and those who definitely can.

The band's last album Second Coming was released on 5 December 1995, the same day as Pearl Jam's Vitalogy.

BBCCopyright: BBC

It's the second semi-final of Eurovision tonight and former Westlifer Nicky Byrne will be in action for Ireland.

We're also expecting performances from previous winners Serbia and Israel and, for the second time in the competition's history, Australia. 

Norway's entry Agnete will also perform - the 21-year-old singer struggles with depression and has cancelled interviews and public appearances in the run-up to the contest.

Joe and Jake won't compete with the UK's entry until Saturday night's final (but they've been keeping themselves entertained by dancing to Justin Timberlake in their dressing room - see tweet below for proof).

Despite recent showings, the UK is still one of the most successful countries in the contest, winning five times so far.

And once upon a time, the British entries also commanded respect in the charts.

Read more 

APCopyright: AP

Here's a collaboration we're already on board with - Mark Ronson's been talking about making music with Lady Gaga, calling it "honest" and "authentic". 

The hit-making producer has been working with her for the past few months, reports Pop Justice.

Quote Message: I’m just blown away by her talent, her voice. She’s a muso at heart. She’s the happiest when she’s sitting at a piano barking orders at the drummer, and I don’t think that’s the side of her the world has seen. They’ve seen the massive pop singles, tours, and dance numbers, so it’s really great to make this very honest, authentic, analogue kind of record with her. from Mark Ronson

I’m just blown away by her talent, her voice. She’s a muso at heart. She’s the happiest when she’s sitting at a piano barking orders at the drummer, and I don’t think that’s the side of her the world has seen. They’ve seen the massive pop singles, tours, and dance numbers, so it’s really great to make this very honest, authentic, analogue kind of record with her.

Meanwhile, Gaga's been defending herself and other celebrities against a post on Catholic-Link reflecting on stars who talk about Jesus "while at the same time still leading a typical Hollywood lifestyle void of Christian values such as modesty and purity."

In an Instagram post, the singer pointed out that Jesus associated with Mary Magdalene - "a prostitute... and did not judge"  - adding, "God is never a trend". 

Well, after all the speculation over the mysterious lemon posters appearing all over Manchester, the rumours are true, the Stone Roses will release their first new single in 20 years, later this evening.

There are also rumours their long-long-long awaited third album will arrive to coincide with upcoming live dates at Manchester's Etihad Stadium.  

BBCCopyright: BBC

The story of Tower Records is a fascinating one - it went from one small shop in Sacramento, California in 1960 to opening stores in Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Ireland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina.

It also held a prime spot in London's Piccadilly Circus.

But it failed to respond to the changes in music consumption and, just shy of fifty years after it was founded, it collapsed and was declared bankrupt.

Now actor Colin Hanks, the son of Oscar-winner Tom, has enlisted the likes of Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen and Chris Cornell to tell Tower's story in a new documentary.

Read more

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

A special memorial service has been held for late music star Prince, organised by ex-wives Manuela Testolini and Mayte Garcia. 

Nile Rodgers, Mavis Staples and Spike Lee were among those paying tribute at the event, while Esperanza Spalding and Janelle Monae performed. 

Billboard reported that the "sombre" service at Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills opened with a performance of Prince track Sometimes it Snows in April by keyboardist Greg Phillinganes.

Spike Lee told guests another event would take place in New York on 7 June, on what would have been Prince's 58th birthday. 

Dressed head to toe in purple, the director shared a picture of his outfit on Instagram:

Prince's six surviving siblings said in a statement last week that, contrary to reports, no public memorial, funeral or tribute service has yet been organized.  

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

After yesterday's bullish defence, which laid the blame at the feet of the media, US band Yacht - who used a hoax 'sex-tape leak' to flog their new record - have apologised.

Wednesday's statement, in which members Jona Bechtolt and Claire L Evans said it was "disturbing to us that press outlets could make the incredibly irresponsible leap from 'celebrity sex tape', which is the cultural trope this project explicitly references, to 'revenge porn'" was widely derided on social media. 

The band were accused of portraying themselves as victims of a sexual offence for a marketing ploy.

In a new statement, the band say: 

Quote Message: We understand that positioning it that way from the beginning was an egregious mistake, and are so ashamed we hadn’t considered this beforehand.

We understand that positioning it that way from the beginning was an egregious mistake, and are so ashamed we hadn’t considered this beforehand.

Quote Message: We take full responsibility for what has happened, and we are truly sorry. We know we’ve broken a bond of trust with many of our fans and friends. Thank you to those that called us out and helped us to understand the gravity of the mistake we made.

We take full responsibility for what has happened, and we are truly sorry. We know we’ve broken a bond of trust with many of our fans and friends. Thank you to those that called us out and helped us to understand the gravity of the mistake we made.

Quote Message: After all is said and done, of course you should be mad at us. We’re mad at us too.

After all is said and done, of course you should be mad at us. We’re mad at us too.

Yacht also said sorry for Wednesday's "non-apology", adding: "There’s no justifying it. We clearly didn’t get it then. We get it now."  

The reunited Busted took the stage at Wembley Arena last night for their first show together in 12 years, on the aptly named Pigs Can Fly Tour.

Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne - who last performed together in 2004 before devastating fans by going their separate ways - debuted new material alongside classics from Crash the Wedding to Year 3000.

While Metro reported they forgot the words to What I Go To School For, it said the staging - including a giant flying pig - was "awesome".

The Sun called it a "triumphant comeback" while MTV concluded "it was the performance we've all been dreaming of for over a decade". 

Here's some of the fans reactions - including Harry Judd from (the also recently reunited) McFly.

APCopyright: AP

Coldplay's Chris Martin has said he and the band are in a good place and "raring to go" as they head into the European leg of their A Head Full of Dreams tour. 

"When we let go of the idea that we had to try and win everybody over, I think that was very liberating," he told Zane Lowe on Apple's Beats 1. 

He added: "I don't want to worry any more about the people that don't want to listen to us, because they've got lots of options."

Chris also said their seventh album felt like a "closing chapter". 

Quote Message: I'd be very surprised if there was another 'conventional' Coldplay album. I just feel like we're right where we're supposed to be right now. I meant what I said a couple of years ago, I feel like this is a closing chapter of something. I stand by that.

I'd be very surprised if there was another 'conventional' Coldplay album. I just feel like we're right where we're supposed to be right now. I meant what I said a couple of years ago, I feel like this is a closing chapter of something. I stand by that.

Quote Message: I don't think we'd split up as a band, so hopefully we'll try and work out something to do at some point... I think that's why we're just enjoying touring right now. We feel like that's what we're supposed to be doing right now, being out there and playing for the people that want to see it. from Chris Martin

I don't think we'd split up as a band, so hopefully we'll try and work out something to do at some point... I think that's why we're just enjoying touring right now. We feel like that's what we're supposed to be doing right now, being out there and playing for the people that want to see it.

He also talked about their forthcoming headline slot at this year's Glastonbury - their fourth time topping the festival's bill. 

"That's the closest thing we really have to a homecoming. It just feels so special, I'm so happy to be able to play it. I love Glastonbury with a passion I can barely contain."

Listen to the full interview

Fresh from working with the likes of DJ Kygo, Tom Odell dropped in to speak to Jo Whiley on Radio 2 this week and performed his song Constellations from his latest album on Sir Elton's piano.

He even had a fair old crack at one of the music legend's own songs, here's Elton's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters... 

You can listen to the full session.