Got a TV Licence?

You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

Find out more
I don’t have a TV Licence.

Live Updates

Mark Savage and Paul Glynn

All times stated are UK

Get involved

  1. Finally...meet the one handed pianist

    BBC Three

    Ok that's your lot.

    If all that Adele, Ed Sheeran, Lorde, Drake, Kasabian, Little Mix and Bieber news (breathe, then scroll down) wasn't enough for you...then here's an inspirational tale to finish on today.

    When Nicholas dreamed of being a concert pianist, there were those who said it couldn't be done.

    Well, take a look at him now performing on the same bill as Coldplay as the world's only  one-handed concert pianist .

    If Nicholas can do it...

    Video content

    Video caption: Amazing Humans: The One-handed Concert Pianist
  2. Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello to release cassette tape for Record Store Day

    Paul McCartney
    Image caption: "What d'ya mean you can't work the cassette player Elv? Give it here la..."

    So before streaming there were downloads... before downloads there were CDs (and very briefly mini-discs)... and before that there were vinyl records.

    Have we missed anything out?

    Well Paul McCartney seems to think so.  As the former Beatles bassist is to release a limited edition three-song cassette tape for this year's Record Store Day.

    Ah, yes cassettes.  Now we remember them!

    Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

    View more on youtube

    The tape will feature the tracks I Don’t Want To Confess, Shallow Grave and Mistress And Maid from Macca and Elvis Costello's Flowers In The Dirt demos and will be available at participating RSD stores on 22 April.

    Speaking about how the tracks had been recorded straight to tape, Sir Paul (surely one day, right?) said: "The demos are red hot off the skillet and that’s why we wanted to include them on this boxed set. 

    Quote Message: What’s great about these songs is that they’ve just been written. So there’s nothing more hot off the skillet, as I say. So that was the kind of great instant thing about them. I hadn’t listened to them in ages but when I did I knew we had to put them out."

    He added: "We made a little tape of them and sent them to Elvis, who loved them too.

    Elvis Costello

    "We said we should put out an EP or something and now the moment’s finally arrived."

    So there you have it, hot off the skillet, as they say.

  3. Steps' appearance on Saturday Night Takeaway left people feeling a bit old

    View more on youtube

    Resurgent pop group Steps were on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend, performing their new single Scared Of The Dark, and a sing-along medley of their biggest hits (with cash prizes, because no Saturday Night Takeaway segment can survive without a cash giveaway?).

    But the band's appearance clearly left a few fans feeling a bit long in the tooth.

    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
  4. The most ambitious musical ever?

    Ansel Elgort and Lily James in Baby Driver

    Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright unveiled his latest film at SXSW this weekend - and it's that rarest of beasts: A heist musical.

    Baby Driver stars Ansel Elgort as the titular getaway driver who embarks on "one last job" before leaving the life of crime, to settle down with his girlfriend (Lily James).

    The twist is that Baby has tinnitus - a permanent ringing in the ears - as the result of a childhood accident. As a result, he wears earphones all the time, and the entire movie takes place to the soundtrack in his head.

    Wright, who is one of cinemas most meticulous directors, has made sure that everything in the film synchronises to Baby's iPod, from the sound of doorbells ringing (easy) to the set piece car chases (wait, what???!).

    You can see the trailer below.

    View more on youtube
  5. Russia names Eurovision entry, despite boycott calls

    Julia Samoilova will represent Russia

    So you've had time to listen to the UK's Eurovision entry by now, right? 

    If not then stop what you're doing right now, scroll down and see how many points you'd award our effort...

    ...OK, welcome back.

    While you've been away, Russia has named its Eurovision entrant, too - and, just like our own Lucie Jones, she's a former X Factor contestant.

    Julia Samoilova will represent the nation in the Ukrainian capital Kiev in May with the song Flame is Burning, state TV announced on Sunday.

    Russia and Ukraine have been locked in political conflict since Russia annexed Crimea three years ago and Russian MPs have been among those urging a boycott of the singing competition. For now, though, that's being set aside in favour of the glitzy spangles of Eurovision.

    Music, as always, is the winner.

    Read more.

  6. Happy Monday indeed

    Shaun Ryder of Happy Mondays

    If the return to work/studies/chores after the weekend has well and truly twisted your melon (man), then here's some news to set it straight.

    Madchester legends Happy Mondays are to head out on a Greatest Hits tour to mark the 30th Anniversary of their brilliantly-ridiculously-named debut album Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out).

    Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

    View more on youtube

    The tour kicks off in Bristol on November 14 and runs - fittingly - throughout the party season, ending in Glasgow just two days before Christmas.

    You check out the full listings below and figure out when and where to have your Chrimbo (24 Hour) Party.

    Isn't that right Bez?

    Bez of Happy Mondays
    View more on twitter
  7. Is a new Calvin Harris album imminent?

    Calvin Harris

    Last year, Dumfries' finest  Calvin Harris indicated that he might give up albums forever - preferring instead to release a continuous stream of hit singles, like his current, Frank Ocean-featuring smash, Slide.

    View more on youtube

    But some eagle-eyed fans over at EDMSauce.com  have spotted that Calvin recently registered eight new songs with his publishers.

    We've checked and confirmed the titles exist in the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers database. They are: When You're Drug Free; Things I've Done; Manufacture & Develop; Do You See What I See; Calling It Love; Boring Souvenir; Amateur Dramatics and Above Suspicion Soulfulness.

    So could Calvin, who has apparently buried the hatchet with old flame Rita Ora , be about to drop a new album? Well, it's hard to be certain.

    These could be songs he's written for other people, or even tracks bound for a film or TV show (he recently wrote the theme for Kevin Hart's The Real Husbands of Hollywood).

    Or maybe they're dubs and instrumentals he's planning to drop into his DJ set this summer. Such songs would need to be registered if he wants to collect his royalties (yes, Calvin Harris gets paid when he plays Calvin Harris songs at a Calvin Harris show. The music industry is weird like that).

    Whatever it turns out to be, we'll bring you the news as soon as we have it.

  8. Little Mix win global act and Camila Cabello does Bad Things at Kids' Choice Awards

    BBC Newsbeat

    Little Mix

    Little Mix gave a shout out to their fans after their win at the Kids' Choice Awards this week.

    The British girl group won the favourite global music star award in Los Angeles.

    Collecting their award, Perrie Edwards said to all your Mixers out there: "You're the best fans in the world. We love you more than anything."

    View more on twitter

    The girls performed their hit singles Shout Out To My Ex and Touch during the ceremony.

    Other winners included Fifth Harmony, who picked up an award for favourite music group and Shawn Mendes, who won favourite male singer.

    Former Fifth Harmony singer Camila wasn't to be over-shadowed, however, as she performed her single Bad Things (see?...) with *Machine Gun Kelly.

    Read more.

    Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

    *Remember: Guns don't kill people, rappers do.

    View more on youtube
  9. Robyn becomes fourth member of The xx With Every Heartbeat

    Consequence of Sound

    Consequence of Sound

    The xx and Robyn (second left)

    Swedish hit-maker Robyn  spent the weekend hanging out with British electro-indie trio The xx . (There's your proof above).

    The two joined forces on stage at the weekend for a rendition of the Swede's 2005 banger With Every Heart Beat.

    Here's some fan shot footage below.

    View more on instagram
    View more on instagram

    The xx band are currently more than halfway through their record-breaking eight-night (and day) residency at London's Brixton Academy, with support slots coming from the likes of Sampha, Kelela, Cat Power, Savages’ Jehnny Beth, Floating Points, and Joy Orbison.

    And it seems that performing with their Stockholm sister, "friend + queen" could be one of the highlights of the series so far.

    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
  10. Maren Morris announces huge UK tour

    Maren Morris at C2C

    Alliterative singer-songwriter Maren Morris was country music's breakout star last year, culminating in a Grammy award for her single, My Church.

    Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

    View more on youtube

    We caught up with her over the weekend, as she prepared to play the main stage at London's Country 2 Country music festival.

    The 26-year-old explained how My Church was written at a "weird emotional crossroads" in her life; and revealed that having a day named in her honour came with a downside for her best friend.

    You can read the interview here  and listen to Maren's Country 2 Country set on the BBC iPlayer .

    And, if that's whet your appetite for a bit of the Nashville spirit, you're in luck: Maren has just announced a seven-date UK tour for later this year. Details on her Twitter account below...

    View more on twitter

    If you liked that then you'll love this...

    ...listen again to the highlights of our pop station  BBC Radio 2 Country here.

  11. New music from Frank Ocean!

    Frank Ocean

    Frank Ocean  used the second episode of his Beats 1 radio show  Blonded  to debut a new song, Chanel. Eighteen times.

    I mean, back in our student radio DJ days, we remember playing Bohemian Rhapsody for toilet break purposes - but letting a song repeat 18 times suggests a very serious urinary tract infection.

    Anyway, fans won't have minded because Chanel - Ocean's first new solo song since the dual release of Endless and Blonde last year - finds the star on fine form, singing about his success over a fuzzy piano figure and fuggy, muffled beats.

    "I see both sides like Chanel," he sings. "2016 burnt like some discs / 2017 playing off a Walkman / This a cult, not a clique on the net."

    "I got new money / And it's all cash / I got new bags / And they all collabs / I rubber band thousand dollar Delta gift cards."  

    Don't we all, Frank? Don't we all.

  12. Justin Bieber tells selfie-searching fan 'you make me sick'

    NME

    Justin Bieber

    It is too late now to say sorry for Justin Bieber ?

    The Canadian singer has found himself embroiled in yet another dispute, after being recorded telling a fan "you make me feel sick” after she attempted to take a selfie in Melbourne, Australia.

    Justin is heard on camera saying: “You have no respect level. Look at you – you’re making me sick.”

    Last year Justin said he was fed up with fans because he feels like a "zoo animal" and it seems that time hasn't mellowed that opinion.

    It also seems that some of you below disagree about JB's behaviour.

    Read more.

    View more on twitter
  13. We love mini-Stormzy

    Mini Stormzy

    Stormzy  has just released a new video for Cold , to celebrate the fact his debut album - Gang Signs and Prayer - has already gone Gold (that's 100,000 sales to you and me).

    We can't bring you the clip here, due to the nature of the language, but we can show you the amazing Stormzy Mini-Me who appears, be-crowned and be-throned, throughout the video, throwing shade at the camera.

    A star is born.

  14. Kasabian’s Tom Meighan opens up about his mental health battles

    Q Magazine

    Q Magazine

    Tom Meighan

    Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has spoken for the first time publicly about a secret breakdown he suffered and ‘making himself ill' last year.

    In an interview with  Q Magazine , Meighan spoke honestly about "losing himself" after separating from his partner and experiencing the death of "a dear friend".

    He said: “Basically my life changed. I’m by myself. Because I lost myself.

    “In every way, 2016 was great for Serge, great for Leicester City, [not so] for me.

    Quote Message: I had to sort my head out. My attitude. Stuff I was doing. People I was associating with. Not bad people. I was the one that was bad, I was in the haze. I was very unhappy, just down. You block it out by just carrying on.”
    Kasabian

    He added: "I was making myself ill, I ain’t gonna lie, my mind was jolted. It might have been a build-up from years and years. I wasn’t taking responsibility and it affected everyone around me, horrendous.

    “Recently I had a tragedy. A great friend died, couple of weeks ago. I ain’t gonna go into detail. I’m all right. But the old me would’ve gone crazy. I would’ve gone on one, and not thought about it.

    “I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. It’s not fair.”

    Kasabian returned to the live arena last week in Sydney with a set that included new track Comeback Kid, old favourite Reason is Treason and a cover of Daft Punk's Around The World.

    Read more.

  15. Rochelle Humes frames her baby's umbilical cord

    Rochelle Humes

    Ok now please put down any food before reading this next entry.  You have been warned...

    TV star and singer Rochelle Humes has divided fans' opinions by turning her new baby's umbilical cord into a piece of art.  

    Over on Instagram, The Saturdays star shared a picture of her daughter’s dehydrated umbilical cord, twisted into the word "love" and framed for posterity.

    View more on instagram

    The picture also came with a tub of pills made from the baby's placenta, which allegedly provide health benefits to the new mum. All of which makes us think the whole thing is a marketing stunt... (something which leaves an even worst taste in the mouth than the placenta pills presumably do).

    Unsurprisingly, the reactions have range from "yay" to "yuck".

    "That is gorgeous!" wrote michellemumof8 under Rochelle's post. "The cord is amazing, fantastic, life giving and you should be so proud of it."

    "Who wouldn't want their umbilical cord hanging on the wall?" added g_craig85.

    But zozodavies disagreed: "High five to the tablets but the picture just no," she said.

    "I think I just got a little bit sick in my mouth," added fionasunbirdsw.

    So make your own mind up.

  16. Drake's new mixtape drops this weekend

    Drake

    It looks like Drake is finally ready to release his More Life mixtape - which was originally scheduled for the end of 2016.

    The star posted a teaser on his Instagram page giving a date of March 18 (that's this Saturday) for the project, which features production from Kanye West, 40 and Frank Dukes, amongst others.

    Speaking to Pitchfork last year, Drake described More Life as an “evolution” of the mixtape format, comparing it to an edition of his Beats 1 radio show where "every song is a new Drake song".

    In October 2016, Drake released three singles from the project - Fake Love, Sneakin’ and Two Birds, One Stone. It's not yet clear whether they will still feature on the finalised "tape". 

    View more on instagram

    Last night the singer (don't call him a rapper, he doesn't like it!) performed in Paris and brought out Young Money label mate Nicki Minaj for four tracks; Moment for Life, Only, No Frauds and Truffle Butter.

    In case you don't believe us, he later posted a couple of pictures of the two of them together.

    View more on instagram
    View more on instagram
  17. Here's the video for our 2017 Eurovision entry

    The official video for the UK's Eurovision entry was unveiled on Saturday night - and it contained a few surprises.

    First and foremost, Lucie Jones's song, Never Give Up On You, has been drastically revamped compared to the version performed on Eurovision: You Decide, earlier this year.

    It now sounds much more bold and dramatic, compared to the "musical theatre" vibes of the original. The new arrangement really pushes Lucie's vocal to the forefront and... to be honest, it all comes together very well.

    It turns out that this was always the plan: Speaking to BBC Breakfast shortly after she was selected to represent the UK, Jones said: "The public are calling for changes [to the song] - that's the great thing about social media... we're looking into it". 

    But how will she go down in Kiev? There's only one way to find out...

    The Eurovision final will be on BBC One on Saturday 13 May.

  18. De La Soul and Madness to play House of Common festival

    BBC 6 Music

    Video content

    Video caption: Pos from De La Soul tells 6 Music about playing Madness' 'House of Common' Festival.

    Legendary US hip hop trio De La Soul  at to perform at the House of Common festival on 28 August.

    The one day event, at Clapham Common in south London, will feature a lineup specifically curated by Madness and will also include English dancehall DJ David Rodigan.

    De La Soul are set to play tunes from their latest Grammy-nominated album And The Anonymous Nobody, which was crowd-funded to the tune of $600,000 and features musical contributions from Damon Albarn, David Byrne, Little Dragon, Snoop Dogg, Usher, 2Chains, Estelle, Jill Scott and Justin Hawkins.

    BBC Radio 6 Music's Clare Crane caught up with them to find out more about the album and live shows.

  19. Adele in a box

    Adele

    It's the biggest mystery of our times. How does the aforementioned  Adele appear on stage, in the middle of an arena, without being spotted?

    The star recently told one audience: "How I get to this stage makes me so sweaty, I'm drenched. I can't tell you til the end - you'll laugh when you find out."

    Now, The Sun claims to have worked it out . It reports that the star "is rolled past the unsuspecting audience while sitting in a black box on wheels".

    A brilliant exclusive, right? Well, not quite... Here's what we said when we reviewed the opening night of her tour in February 2016.

    Quote Message: The concert began simply enough, with a moody black and white projection of Adele's eyes on two gigantic silk screens, as the refrain from Hello echoed around the arena.
    Quote Message: Then, to the audience's surprise, the star rose out of a satellite stage in the middle of the auditorium (she had been smuggled underneath it, inside a black box, 10 minutes earlier)."

    You can just call us Scooby Doo.

  20. Lorde shares behind-the-scenes photos from SNL

    Lorde

    As we already mentioned, Lorde took over US comedy show Saturday Night Live last weekend, with some pitch perfect renditions of her new songs Green Light and Liability.

    She's also shared a few photos of her preparations for the show, answering fans' questions along the way. Here's your behind-the-scenes tour...

    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter
    View more on twitter