Rocker Sting feared he and his new collaborator Shaggy would be booted from Queen Elizabeth II's birthday concert on Saturday (21Apr18) after the reggae star ignored royal protocol during their performance.

The unlikely duo joined Sir Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, Shawn Mendes, and Craig David on the bill for The Queen's Birthday Party at London's Royal Albert Hall, where the British monarch and members of the royal family watched from a balcony.

Security officials briefed all artists before the gig got underway, warning them not to leave the stage at any time during their sets, but Jamaican star Shaggy failed to heed the warning, much to the British musician's horror.

"(Officials said), 'Whatever you do, don't go into the audience,' which is exactly what he did...!" Sting recalled during a joint interview on morning show Live with Kelly and Ryan on Tuesday (24Apr18).

"He was heading towards the royal box! I thought, 'Please, no... That's my Queen!'"

Confessing he was "a bit disruptive", Shaggy explained, "I was trying to high five, yo! But it was good, we had everyone up on their feet... including the Queen."

"It wasn't the normal protocol," he shrugged, "but you know, we got the party going... It was a good time."

Sting admits he was a little surprised the pair, which recently released its joint album 44/876, had been invited to take the stage at the special show, held on the leader's 92nd birthday, remarking, "I'm not sure we're entirely to her taste!"

However, Shaggy is convinced he spotted the Queen giving him a sly nod of approval: "I did see she... gave me a wink...!," he smiled.

Madonna has lost her bid to prevent the auction of her old personal belongings, including a love letter she received from rapper Tupac Shakur while he was in jail.

Art consultant Darlene Lutz had teamed up with bosses at Gotta Have It! Collectibles last July (17) to put a number of the singer's old items, including a note sent to Madonna by her ex-boyfriend, the late Tupac, up for sale.

However, the Material Girl hitmaker objected to the money-making move and obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the sale, alleging the collectibles had been wrongfully taken from her after moving out of her Miami, Florida home in 2004.

She then filed suit in New York in August (17) in an effort to halt the auction indefinitely.

Lutz fought back, insisting the lawsuit should be dismissed because she had been given the belongings by Madonna herself while they were friends, but the singer maintained she was unaware the items, which also included a hairbrush containing strands of her hair, and a pair of her unwashed panties, had been in Lutz's possession until she learned of the online sale.

Now Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Gerald Lebovits has ruled in Lutz's favour, declaring Madonna waited too long to try and reclaim the pieces of memorabilia.

Under the statute of limitations, the singer had until 2007 to make a claim for the goods, reports the New York Post.

"Mere ignorance or lack of discovery of the wrong is not sufficient to toll the statute," he wrote in his ruling, released on Monday (23Apr18).

He also pointed to an apparent release Madonna had signed in 2004 after settling a dispute with Lutz over some artwork, which banned the pop superstar from taking future legal action.

"Sophisticated parties having negotiated an extraordinarily broad release with their eyes open with the aid of counsel cannot later invalidate that release by claiming ignorance of the depth of their fiduciary's misconduct," he explained.

Madonna has yet to comment on the court decision, but Lutz's attorney, Judd Grossman, is celebrating what he's called a "complete win" for his client.

"From day one it was clear that this case should never have been filed and that Madonna did so solely to exact personal revenge on an old foe," he said. "Darlene Lutz has now been totally vindicated."

Rod Stewart has insisted that he always behaved like a gentleman with women in the '60s and '70s.

The rocker was a hit with the opposite sex when he first became famous with The Jeff Beck Group and Faces in the 60s, and he and bandmate Ronnie Wood always had women throwing themselves at them, but Rod insists he always treated them with respect.

However, speaking at the BFI Southbank in London after a screening of film Rod The Mod, he acknowledged that he wouldn't have been able to get away with some of his behaviour if he was trying to hit the big time now.

"Ronnie (Wood) and I were talking about this at our anniversary party last year and were saying how women literally used to throw themselves at us. It really was, 'Oh, not again tonight, Ronnie,'" he recalled. "I can only speak from my perspective but as a rock 'n' roll singer, I used to show off with the girls. I would never touch a girl unless she wanted me to.

"Things have changed. You could get away with a bit more in those days than you can now and things have changed for the better."

The 73-year-old also insisted that he would never dream of swearing at a woman, and only does so when he's having an argument with his wife Penny Lancaster.

Penny, who he married in 2007, is his third wife, and he reckons he's better at marriages now that he's older and understands women better.

"I have been married three times and I say this with all honesty, I have got a great woman now," he gushed. "But I have got a diamond by my side now. She really is and I can't say any more than that."

The rocker had plasters on his right hand during the talk, and he revealed it was because he had recently undergone surgery to remove sun spots.

"I have just had a little operation on my hand. I had a couple of sun things there and they burnt them off," he said.

Married actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith once offered Prince $400,000 (£285,500) to perform at a private party.

The Purple Rain icon regularly played lucrative private gigs, and one three-year-old memo reveals the Smiths were among those willing to pay big bucks to treat 100 guests to a very special night out in Los Angeles, scheduled for 17 September, 2015.

It appears the bash was arranged to celebrate Jada's birthday, as she turned 44 the following day (18Sep15).

It's not known if Prince agreed to headline the event, but the note was among the treasure trove of paperwork recovered by Minnesota police following the superstar's untimely death at his Paisley Park estate on 21 April, 2016, reports TheBlast.com.

Authorities at the Carver County Sheriff's Office released the documents last week, days before the second anniversary of the singer's passing, after declaring no criminal charges would be filed in relation to Prince's death from an accidental drug overdose.

Investigators determined there was no evidence to suggest he knowingly took powerful painkiller fentanyl, as it appeared he had been taking counterfeit Vicodin pills laced with the drug. He did not have a prescription for the medication.

Meanwhile, the materials gathered for the police investigation also included a love letter Prince had saved, said to be from singer/guitarist Andy Allo, a one-time member of his backing band, The New Power Generation, who went on to launch a solo career with his support.

The pair had previously been rumoured to be romantically linked, and the private message reveals the song Nothing More, by Allo, had been written about the tragic icon.

She also expressed her gratitude to Prince for "taking a chance" on her at one of his shows in Montreal, Canada in 2011, when she debuted her solo tune People Pleaser for the crowd.

"It means mountains for having faith in me to do what I love. I'm happy, ecstatic & that crazy person who can't stop smiling," she wrote, later stating, "I'm in love with U (sic)."

"I've probably told you this before or you know it already...," she continued, "the song 'Nothing More' is inspired by you, for you, and what I said last night was true 'dedicated to the love(s) of my life'... it's music and you baby. That's all there is to it."

Allo concluded the love letter by writing, "Respect. Gratitude. Muse. Inspiration. Love. All things I feel and more when it comes to you. I love you.

Prince's pal picked up prescriptions for a number of medications for the singer the day before he died, newly released documents show.

The Purple Rain singer died at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota from an accidental fentanyl overdose at the age of 57 on 21 April, 2016, and on Thursday (19Apr18), prosecutors investigating his death announced they would be filing no criminal charges and the case was closed.

They subsequently released all documents, photographs and videos relating to the investigation, and the evidence has shown that a number of prescriptions for Prince were picked up the day before he died.

According to The Blast, the prescriptions filled on 20 April, 2016, included Clonidine, which is used to treat withdrawal symptoms, and anti-anxiety drugs Diazepam and Hydroxyzine Pamoate.

A video released by investigators showed Prince's assistant and bodyguard Kirk Johnson going to pick up prescriptions for the star from a local Walgreens pharmacy twice in the space of just 90 minutes that day. It is thought Prince was waiting outside during these times.

Images released from his home show a variety of pill bottles scattered around the property. In one picture, it is evident that Prince received Ondansetron, used to prevent nausea and vomiting, and medications to treat vitamin D deficiency under Johnson's name, and also had a large supply of diet supplements.

On the day before he died, the music icon was also caught on surveillance cameras looking frail as he visited Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg with Johnson. During the visit to the clinic, he reportedly told the medic he was feeling "antsy" and questioned whether he was suffering side effects as he stopped taking painkiller Tylenol earlier that day. According to Dailymail.com, he undertook a urine test which showed there were opiates in his system, and the doctor suggested he could be suffering from a opiate withdrawal.

Text messages between Johnson and Schulenberg on 7 April also show that his longtime pal was concerned for his health and wanted to him to see a doctor.

In an interview with investigators Johnson said he didn't realise Prince had an opioid addiction until he passed out on a plane a week before he died.

"It started to all make sense though, just his behaviour sometimes and change of mood, and I'm like, oh this is what, I think this is what's going on," he said. "That's why I took the initiative and said let's go to my doctor because you haven't been to the doctor, let's check it all out."

On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Dr. Schulenberg had agreed to pay a $30,000 (£21,000) settlement for potentially breaching federal laws by writing a oxycodone prescription in Johnson's name although it was intended to go to Prince.

Lionel Richie struggled to cope with a "massive depression" after the death of his father in 1990.

The 68-year-old singer spent nearly a decade without recording new material following the release of his smash hit 1986 album Dancing on the Ceiling because he fell into a deep despair when his dad, also called Lionel, became ill and died.

"My father was ill and I went through a very, I won't say a depression, a massive depression," he said on U.K. TV show Lorraine. "My dad was my hero. I went through that whole period of my life."

The former Commodore revealed that his dark period, during which he also went through a divorce from his college sweetheart, Brenda Harvey, only ended in 1994 when he and his new partner Diane Alexander welcomed their son Miles.

"It was something about the birth of my kid," he explained. "Miles came along, Nicole (the daughter he adopted with Brenda) was already there, I realised I had a group of people looking up to me to be the head of the house."

Lionel revealed that he decided to return to music as he was embarrassed his children didn't know he was a famous musician, adding, "They didn't know what the hell I did for a living so I thought at that particular point, let's go back and prove to the kids what I do. I realised, this is what I should be doing."

After a decade, in which he only released a greatest hits collection, the All Night Long musician made his comeback in 1996 with Louder Than Words.

Although his return initially proved underwhelming, Lionel has now won over a new generations of fans, and in 2015 he performed to more than 100,000 people at Britain's famed Glastonbury festival - a gig he described as "ridiculous" and "fascinating".

Minnesota prosecutors have opted not to chase criminal charges over Prince's death from an accidental overdose.

The Purple Rain icon passed away in April, 2016 and autopsy results subsequently found he had "exceedingly high" levels of painkiller Fentanyl in his system at the time of his death. However, according to prosecutors, Prince was unaware he was taking Fentanyl. The singer reportedly obtained counterfeit Vicodin pills that were laced with the powerful opioid.

On Thursday (19Apr18), Carver County Attorney Mark Metz revealed there is no credible evidence on how or who Prince obtained the painkillers from, so prosecutors cannot move forward with criminal charges.

It was also revealed Prince had no prescriptions in his name and the Vicodin he took was not prescribed by a doctor.

Metz went on to state there was "no conspiracy to murder Prince", but the actions of those around him could be seen as suspicious. However, "suspicions and innuendo are categorically insufficient" to file charges, he added.

Last year (17), it was reported the late singer had medicine prescribed to him under his bodyguard Kirk Johnson's name. An official affidavit taken by Detective Christine Wagner also indicated Dr. Michael Schulenberg, who was at Paisley Park on the day of Prince's death, admitted he gave the singer Oxycodone in April, 2016, when his plane made an emergency landing in Illinois after he suffered a medical emergency on a flight home from a concert. He also told a detective he put that prescription in Johnson's name that day "for privacy" reasons.

Meanwhile, Dr. Schulenberg has reportedly reached a $30,000 (£21,300) settlement with U.S. federal authorities for writing the prescription. He was accused of violating the Controlled Substances Act, according to The Wrap.

Mariah Carey's representatives have made it clear they won't be responding to her former manager's "lies and threats".

Stella Bulochnikov worked with the Hero hitmaker for several years and appeared on her reality show Mariah's World last year (17), shortly before the pair parted ways, and on Friday (13Apr18), she fired off legal papers indicating she is going to sue the pop legend for alleged violations of the U.S. Civil Rights Act, the Fair Employment and Housing Act, and breach of contract.

According to The Blast, Stella claims Mariah is a "train wreck" who is "addicted to alcohol, prescription pills, and marijuana". She also alleges the superstar singer owes her millions of dollars in unpaid commissions and revenue from projects they had in the works.

Meanwhile, according to TMZ, Stella insists she was sexually harassed by Mariah, who constantly walked around naked in front of her. In addition, the former manager asserts Mariah did acts that were sexual in nature around Stella.

A representative for Mariah has already informed the media the singer will fight any lawsuit, calling Bulochnikov's allegations "frivolous and baseless", but they won't be addressing them with the press.

A rep for the We Belong Together singer tells People magazine, "Stella Bulochnikov was terminated from employment as Mariah's manager due to failure to perform her job effectively and ill-serving her client. Stella was not under contract for employment.

"She has been spreading false rumours to any media outlet that will publish them. We won't respond to lies and threats."

The drama began days after Mariah went public with her bipolar battle, revealing she was diagnosed with the mood altering disorder in 2001.

Sinead O'Connor accused Prince of life-long drug use and battery in a police interview conducted shortly after his death.

The Purple Rain singer died at his Paisley Park home and recording studio compound in Minnesota from an accidental fentanyl overdose at the age of 57 in April, 2016, and on Thursday (19Apr18), after a two-year investigation, prosecutors revealed no criminal cases will be pursued in relation to the pop icon's passing.

Following the landmark decision, Carver County Sheriff's Office officials made all previously sealed pieces of evidence related to Prince's death public, including a recording of Irish singer Sinead conducting a phone interview with police officers on 2 May, 2016.

During the conversation, Sinead made incendiary claims about the late star, who famously touted sobriety throughout his career, by insisting he had used drugs for decades.

"In the case of Prince, everyone is mistaken who believes that he did not have a drug habit for the entire of his life (sic). He used hard drugs commonly," she said in the recording. "I know this because I spent time with the man."

Sinead, who has a history of mental illness, moved on to suggest drug use prevented Prince from releasing an album.

"He did not release an album, famously, which is called The Black Album," she told police. "The reason he didn’t, he told me himself, was that he had been taking so many dark drugs that he had had a vision from God and God had told him, the album (was) evil and he was not to release it. The man’s been using drugs all of this time.”

Sinead, who shot to international fame singing 1990 hit Nothing Compares 2 U, a song written by Prince, also claimed he would peel off to another room to do drugs and emerge "very violent, very aggressive", attacking her and other women in drug-fuelled rages, but she admitted she never actually saw him take anything.

"I’ve seen him in very frightening conditions after using drugs," she said. "Now, I cannot say that I ever saw him use the drugs. I never saw him actually take them."

Sinead also made claims about Prince online, and had to apologise to comedian Arsenio Hall after he sued the singer in a $5 million (£3.5 million) defamation case for accusing him of providing drugs to Prince.

"I apologize for my Facebook posts about Arsenio to the extent that anyone thought I was accusing him of acting as Prince's drug dealer and supplying him with illegal hard drugs, or insinuating that Arsenio had something to do with Prince's death," she later wrote in a statement. "I sincerely apologize because those statements would be false, and I retract them unequivocally."

Hall dropped his lawsuit after O'Connor apologised.

Meanwhile, Carver County Sheriff's Office staff also released several photos, text conversations, notes, emails, and video footage of the icon's corpse on Thursday.

Ironically, on the same day, Prince's estate officials surprised devotees by releasing the late star's original studio recording of Nothing Compares 2 U, complete with a video featuring previously unseen footage of Prince and his band The Revolution in rehearsals.

And it appears those closest to the icon refused to believe he was dead - Prince's protege, Judith Hill, sent him an email more than a month after his passing.

"I really need you right now," she wrote on 30 May (16). "I want to go find you. Don't like it here on earth. I know you want me to go out there and perfect the stage but I don’t have the strength right now. Positive projections: You are here. Please just come back."

Among the various emails released by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office bosses on Thursday were messages from Rita Ora and actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw asking about the singer's health on the day he died.

George Michael's ex-boyfriend Fadi Fawaz is selling off the singer's possessions as he attempts to make money while embroiled in a feud with the late star's family.

Photographer Fawaz, 44, found the singer dead in his bed at their home in Oxfordshire, England in December 2016. He is now living in another of George's properties in Regent's Park, London, but the Careless Whisper star's family are said to be unhappy with him still residing there and want him to leave. They are also said to be protesting Fawaz receiving anything as part of Michael's will. 

Amidst the alleged feud, Fawaz took to Twitter on Monday night (16Apr18) to admit his financial shortcomings have forced him to make the difficult decision to offload some of Michael's possessions. 

"George Michael Items for sale if you interested please let me know," Fawaz began his Twitter rant. "It’s a way so I can survive till we solve the problems with his family and lawyer. Since I’m left with no help and since no one is human anymore.

"Am willing to sell any story as well. I am done with being respectful towards George Michael or the rest."

Fawaz also offered himself up for interviews for cash. 

"If you wanna interview me you know where to find me," he continued. "I will fight for my right from George Michael till the last day of my life. And no I won’t get a job."

Fawaz's rant comes after he recently hit headlines when he posted an enforcement notice stating he owes $720 (£513) on Twitter.

He captioned the image, "Darling they have come to take your furniture coz I couldn't effort the fine. But don't worry I didn't open the door for them. (sic)."

The letter, dated 29 March, which demanded that Fawaz pay up immediately or he will lose his personal items, appeared to relate to a traffic offence.

George passed away from natural causes on Christmas Day, 2016 at the age of just 53.

Metallica have invited fans to join them for a day of service at U.S. food banks.

Bosses at the rock group's charity foundation All Within My Hands have announced the initiative, scheduled for 23 May (18), offering those who sign up a free T-shirt.

"We are here to encourage you to join us on May 23 for a Metallica day of service," drummer Lars Ulrich says in an announcement video. "All registered fans will receive a special All Within My Hands T-shirt when they check in to their local food bank on May 23."

Volunteers can sign up using the hashtag #MetallicaGivesBack.

A statement from the band reads: "Join us on May 23 and volunteer at food banks across the country in markets visited by the 2017 WorldWired Tour as we encourage Metallica fans to unite in the fight against hunger. Visit Metallica.com or AllWithinMyHands.org for more information and learn how you can be a part of the Day of Service by registering to volunteer (no walk-ins!).

"All Within My Hands Foundation is dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger and other critical local services. The Foundation aims to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band for years, as well as encourage participation from fans and friends. All funds raised will be donated to a cross-section of national and local charities... Every penny from your donations will go directly to our charity partners."

The initiative follows Metallica's 2017 North American stadium tour, during which they contributed to food banks via charity partner Feeding America. A list of participating food banks is available on the All Within My Hands website.

Mariah Carey is vowing to "vigorously" defend herself against her former manager's "frivolous" sexual harassment lawsuit.

Stella Bulochnikov worked with the Hero hitmaker for several years and appeared on her reality show Mariah's World last year (17), shortly before the pair parted ways, and on Friday (13Apr18), the manager fired off legal papers indicating she is going to sue Mariah for alleged violations of the U.S. Civil Rights Act, the Fair Employment and Housing Act, and breach of contract.

And now details about her complaint have surfaced - according to The Blast, Stella claims Mariah is a "train wreck" who is "addicted to alcohol, prescription pills, and marijuana". She also alleges the superstar singer owes her millions of dollars in unpaid commissions and revenue from projects they had in the works.

Stella's lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, insists if Mariah does not settle, he will launch a "blockbuster expose lawsuit", alleging that Mariah is struggling with a series of issues because she refuses to take her medication for her bipolar disorder, which she recently revealed she was diagnosed with in 2001.

O'Donnell also claims the singer was "stoned out of her mind" during her disastrous 2016 performance at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, when she gave up singing - citing sound problems - and awkwardly danced onstage live during the annual Time's Square broadcast.

"Stella pled with Mariah to get sober and she refused," the attorney says. "Stella then became her constant guardian and protector."

According to TMZ, Stella also alleges she was sexually harassed by Mariah, who constantly walked around naked in front of her. She also alleges Mariah did acts that were sexual in nature around Stella.

A representative for Mariah tells the website Mariah will fight any lawsuit.

"If this frivolous and baseless claim is filed, we will defend against it vigorously and successfully," the rep says.

Ann Wilson and Alice in Chains rocker Jerry Cantrell joined forces to pay tribute to late pal Chris Cornell at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night (14Apr18).

The Heart star and the grunge icon performed an emotional rendition of Black Hole Sun, Cornell's 1994 hit with Soundgarden, shortly before Wilson inducted The Moody Blues into the Hall of Fame.

The Heart singer previously performed the track on late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! shortly after Cornell's death last year (May17).

Earlier in the evening, The Killers kicked off the ceremony by performing a cover of Tom Petty's American Girl as a tribute to another late great, and Lauryn Hill stole the show with a surprise three-song salute to jazz and blues icon Nina Simone, who was among the inductees, alongside The Cars and Bon Jovi, who both enjoyed reunions.

The Cars performed together for the first time since 2011, while Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora shared a microphone for the first time since the guitarist quit the band in 2013.

Other highlights included Brittany Howard and Felicia Collins paying tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Andra Day's pitch-perfect rendition of Simone's I Put a Spell On You, backed by The Roots.

The Moody Blues ended the night by running through hits like I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band), Your Wildest Dreams, and Nights in White Satin.

The induction ceremony's low point came as Dire Straits were inducted without fanfare. With Knopfler brothers Mark and David choosing not to attend the ceremony, there was no big induction introduction by a celebrity fan, as is customary, and it was left for bassist John Illsley to accept the group honour.

"It's a bit weird... but life's strange," he told the crowd, explaining that band leader Mark Knopfler's decision not to show up was "just a personal thing", adding, "Let's just leave it at that."

Illsley was joined by former bandmates Guy Fletcher and Alan Clark for one of the shortest inductions ever.

Bon Jovi has reunited with former members Richie Sambora and Alec John Such for a powerful performance as the band earned a spot in the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Jon Bon Jovi, Sambora and Such were joined by current bandmates David Bryan, Tico Torres and Hugh McDonald at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, where the Rock Hall is based.

They performed crowd favourites like You Give Love a Bad Name and It's My Life.

Sambora left Bon Jovi in 2013 and Such in 1994. Each of the members spoke onstage, giving thanks for the honour and telling old stories about the New Jersey band. They all hugged as a group afterward.

Jon Bon Jovi said he has been writing his Rock Hall speech for years.

"Some days I write the 'Thank you' speech, sometimes I write the '(Expletive) you' speech,'' he said. "In the end, it's all about time. It took a lot of people to get us here tonight.''

They were inducted by Howard Stern, who provided many laughs at the event. He even sang some of Wanted Dead or Alive, getting the audience to join in.

Stern joked about Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner, questioning why he was qualified to vote on who enters the prominent organisation. Stern said Wenner, who founded Rolling Stone magazine, doesn't play any instruments "but he did start a great magazine ... and now it's the size of a pamphlet".

Stern also thanked Bon Jovi for its music, which he is a big fan of, and stressed how big of a deal it is that the band has sold more than 130 million albums.

The 33rd annual Rock Hall ceremony kicked off with a tribute to Tom Petty, who died in October at age 66. The Killers earned a loud applause from the audience when they started performing American Girl, then transitioning to Free Fallin'.

"Pay some rock 'n' roll respect ... to the eternal Tom Petty,'' frontman Brandon Flowers said, as photos of Petty were displayed in the background.

The Cars and four first-time nominees, including Nina Simone, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, make up the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.

Shania Twain has changed her live shows to avoid risking a Lyme disease flare-up.

The Still the One singer hits the road as part of her Now Tour next month (May18) to support her new album, but after being diagnosed with the infectious disease, which can cause nerve damage and paralysis, she can no longer perform without a strict set of guidelines.

"It's more work for me now vocally because of the Lyme disease effect on the nerves in my larynges, so it's like an hour and a half of, like, physical exercise," she explained to E! News. "I take a mini trampoline with me and I've got to do a real pre-show show."

The 52-year-old country icon insists her new concert series is "still sexy" despite the change in her routine behind-the-scenes, revealing she and her crew have crafted shows with "something nobody has seen before."

Shania is grateful she caught the condition early, because it could have been much worse.

"Lyme disease does affect your life for sure. It's such a silent, evil thing," she shared. "A lot of the symptoms you just learn to live with. I was lucky that I caught it early. I did get a lot of damage but I'm not battling with degenerative organ issues, so I feel very fortunate."

Shania went public with her Lyme disease diagnosis last summer (Jul17) and she is now looking at the illness as a source of empowerment and confidence.

"By the time you're my age, you have something. Everybody's got something in some form of their life," she smiled. "I'm proud of myself on one hand for persevering."

Shania's Now Tour kicks off in Tacoma, Washington on 3 May (18).

Huey Lewis and The News has canceled its 2018 tour while frontman Lewis deals with the sudden loss of his hearing.

In a statement released Friday, the band says Lewis lost most of his hearing a few months ago before a show in Dallas and now he "can't hear music well enough to sing."

Doctors told him he shouldn't perform until his hearing improves. Lewis suspects he has Meniere's disease, a disorder of the inner ear.

Huey Lewis and The News has sold a combined 15 million albums with "Sports" and "Fore!" The group's singles include "Power of Love" and "I Want a New Drug."

Lewis says he wants to "sincerely apologize" to fans and concentrate on getting better. He hopes to be able to perform again soon.

​

Kylie Minogue is shining bright at the top of this week’s Official Albums Chart as new album, Golden, lands straight in at Number 1. Tour tickets. 

The Australian star’s 14th studio album shifted 48,000 combined sales, eclipsing the first-week totals of her last three album releases, The Abbey Road Sessions, Kiss Me Once and Kylie Christmas.

Kylie tells OfficialCharts.com:

“I don’t know where to start… Thank you to everybody who has been involved in getting Golden to Number 1. I am so overwhelmed, happy, proud, emotional and very, very thankful and grateful. Much love and many, many, many thanks.”

​Golden is Kylie’s sixth chart-topping collection in the UK and first in eight years, following Kylie (1988), Enjoy Yourself (1989), Greatest Hits (1992), Fever (2001) and Aphrodite (2010). Look back at Kylie’s complete Official UK Chart history here.

Golden is also Number 1 on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart this week. With 6,400 vinyl albums sold, it is the fastest-selling vinyl album of 2018 so far. The collector appeal doesn’t stop at vinyl, Kylie’s Golden is also the fastest-selling cassette of the year to date and has already outsold the best-selling artist album cassette of 2017, Kasabian’s For Crying Out Loud. 

Book Kylie tickets through our official partner Ticketmaster. 

The record finished 13,000 ahead of its nearest rival, the The Greatest Showman soundtrack, which slips to Number 2 this week.

What’s more, with just over a month to go until Kylie celebrates the big 5-0, she’s already crossed the threshold in terms of hit singles – Dancing enters the chart this week at 38, giving the pop princess her 51st UK Top 40 hit of her 30-year career.

30 Seconds To Mars log their highest ever chart placing this week with America at Number 4, one slot ahead of The Courteeners’ St. Jude Re:Wired at 5, extending their unbroken streak of Top 10 albums to six.

US rapper Cardi B opens at Number 6 with her debut album Invasion of Privacy, ahead of another debut release from Tom Misch – Geography is new at Number 8. Eels close the Top 10 at Number 10 with The Deconstruction, their 14th UK Top 40 record.

There are new entries in the Top 20 for Blackberry Smoke’s Find A Light (12) and Deeper by Lisa Stansfield (15), while the debut, self-titled record from Goat Girl impacts at Number 24 and was the best-selling album in independent record shops this week.

The Dead Daisies earn their highest charting album of their careers with Burn It Down at 28, while Arctic Monkeys’ former chart-topper AM returns to the Top 40 at Number 31 following the announcement of their new album Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino.

Finally, Elvis Presley collects his 94th UK Top 40 album with The Searcher – Original Soundtrack at Number 32.

Doting Daddy Sir Elton John is planning to take his sons on part of his farewell tour.

The veteran performer announced his plans to retire from touring in January (18) after the end of his three-year Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which kicks off in Allentown, Pennsylvania in September.

And in an interview with BBC Radio 5 live, the 71-year-old has revealed that his boys Zachary, seven, and Elijah, five, will join him on part of the concert tour, as he doesn't want to be away from them for too long.

"They're going to come with me on a segment of the tour with a tutor so they can see different places - it's all about them now," the Rocket Man singer told Afternoon Edition presenter Nihal Arthanayake on Thursday (12Apr18) as he promoted his new covers album Revamp.

The music icon previously explained he's retiring from the road so he can spend more time with his husband David Furnish and their two sons, who are both in school.

"I want to make sure I'm there for my kids because they make me so happy," he smiled. "Every morning when I see them they make me beam... I'm going to make sure those kids have the best, best, best childhood.

"If I had to choose between music and my children, there's only one winner, and that's my children. I just want to be with them."

However, quitting touring doesn't mean Elton will be putting his feet up any time soon. He will oversee a roster of new artists at his music management company and the veteran rocker is also working on "several stage musical projects" as well as the soundtrack to the upcoming remake of The Lion King.

Dire Straits have pulled out of performing at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction this weekend - because leader Mark Knopfler won't be there.

Bassist John Illsley tells Billboard that bandmate Alan Clark's website post about an acoustic performance of the group's Telegraph Road was in fact a joke - as the trio attending the ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio wouldn't perform without Knopfler, who has opted not to show up for the career honour.

"That's not going to happen," Illsley says. "That's Alan having a bit of fun. I was hoping people weren't going to take it too seriously. I wouldn't perform without Mark there, so it's as simple as that, really. If Mark's not there, there's no point."

And, opening up about the band leader's no-show, he adds, "Some people play and some people don't. Some people turn up and some people don't, it seems. We've got a combination of all that.

"He (Knopfler) just didn't feel like coming, it's as simple as that. It just didn't appeal to him, and I appealed to him on several occasions. I said, 'Look, I'd love you to get your head around this'. He said, 'Look, I just can't do it, John. I'm really sorry. It's a great honour for us and all the rest of it, and I just can't get my head around it', so I've just got to respect it.

"He's got his reasons, which he really doesn't want to share with me which is unusual because we've shared most things over the years.

"So I said, 'OK, I'll go over, accept the award on your behalf and all the rest of the guys that aren't there and that'll be it. So that's what's happening."

Knopfler's bandmate brother David has also pulled out of the induction ceremony over a dispute about travelling expenses.

But Illsley plans to make the most of the honour, despite the no-shows, adding, "I'm very proud of being inducted. I think it's fantastic for the band. I think it's fantastic for all the musicians who have worked with us over the years, who have been part of the journey... and all the producers and engineers we worked with over the years. And I think it's wonderful for all the people who bought the music and came to see the concerts and stuck with the band all these years."

The induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland on Saturday (14Apr18). Nina Simone, The Cars, Bon Jovi, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and The Moody Blues will also be inducted.

Mariah Carey is working on a memoir.

The Hero hitmaker has reportedly been "looking inward" since deciding to go public with her bipolar disorder diagnosis and her representative has confirmed to the New York Post's Page Six TV that she is writing a memoir.

"At a certain point, the truth will set you free," a source tells the publication. "Hopefully, (being vocal about bipolar disorder) will be freeing for her. When you have people that you were close with, like Whitney (Houston) and Prince, at a certain point, you look inward and come to terms with whatever demons you have."

On Wednesday (11Apr18), Mariah went public with her diagnosis in a People magazine article, revealing she first learned she had the disorder in 2001, when she was hospitalised after suffering a physical and emotional breakdown, but she refused to believe it.

"Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me," she said. "It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn't do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love - writing songs and making music.

"I'm actually taking medication that seems to be pretty good. It's not making me feel too tired or sluggish or anything like that. Finding the proper balance is what is most important."

The singer also revealed she decided to come forward with her mental health battle in an effort to help lift the stigma surrounding mental health.

"It can be incredibly isolating," she said. "It does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me."

Paris Jackson has defended an edited family portrait showing her posing with her mother Debbie Rowe and late father Michael Jackson after an actress dubbed it "creepy".

The 20-year-old took to Twitter on Tuesday (10Apr18) to share the fan-made picture, which had been obviously Photoshopped to combine a recent picture of Paris with old photos of Michael, who died in 2009 when she was 11 years old, and Debbie. The finished snap shows Paris smiling as she poses in the middle of her parents, with Michael resting a hand on her shoulder and Debbie wrapping her arms around Paris' neck.

After she shared the image, actress Lori Petty, who played Lolly in Orange is the New Black, replied, "U don’t think that’s creepy AF (as f**k)?" and Paris replied to defend it, revealing that it's nice to imagine what it would have been like to have a normal family unit.

"No i think it’s nice to dream about what it would be like to have parents, and to have it put into something i can see, even if it’s a fan made edit," she tweeted.

Lori replied, "If you like it, I love it... Didn’t mean to be unkind," before adding, "Love you," to which Paris responded, "Love u too darlin."

Paris was raised by the King of Pop after he divorced from Debbie when their daughter was only one year old, and she grew up with older brother Prince, born Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., and younger half-brother Prince Michael Jackson II, known as Blanket. She was estranged from her mum for years before reconnecting with her in 2016 as she was battling breast cancer.

Paris turned 20 years old last week and celebrated by throwing a star-studded party at HYDE Sunset in West Hollywood. Guests included Chris Brown, director Lee Daniels, Jared Leto, Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson Ross and husband Evan Ross.

Tommy Lee's son Brandon will not face prosecution over a fight with his rocker father.

The former Motley Crue rocker was hospitalised after his 21-year-old son Brandon knocked him out during a heated argument at his home last month (Mar18).

Multiple sources claimed Tommy wanted to pursue legal action against his son to "teach him a lesson", but Tommy has reportedly stopped co-operating with investigators and the Los Angeles County District Attorney has officially rejected the case.

The fight is believed to have been sparked by the drummer's social media posts about his ex-wife Pamela Anderson, who is Brandon's mum, following her comments about her alleged abuse at the hands of the rocker during a recent Piers Morgan TV interview.

Pamela has since gone on record and claimed Tommy suffers from "the disease of alcoholism", and also accused her ex-partner of being drunk at the time of the incident, insisting that their son was acting in self-defence.

Brittany Furlan, who became engaged to Tommy in February (18), called emergency services for assistance after the brawl, and told operators her unconscious fiance was "totally out like a light". 

Tommy, who has battled alcohol problems in the past, has admitted that he had been drinking prior to the altercation on 5 March (18).

Last month (Mar18), it was reported the 55-year-old musician was going to withdraw his police report but decided to pursue criminal charges and a restraining order against Brandon after his son refused to apologise for lashing out at his dad.

Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham is leaving Fleetwood Mac.

Buckingham, who started playing with the band in 1975, embarked on a 10-year hiatus in 1987 before returning to ring in the new century.

The rocker has been back with the group since 1997, but he has now exited the band again and he will be replaced by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell and Crowded House's Neil Finn for the group's upcoming live shows. 

The news of Buckingham's departure comes as Fleetwood Mac gear up to hit the road for a world tour later this year (18). A reason for his departure has not been revealed. 

"Lindsey Buckingham will not be performing with the band on this tour," a clipped statement from the group reads. "The band wishes Lindsey all the best."

Last year (17), the guitarist and singer collaborated with Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie on the album Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie, which also featured the band's Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

He originally joined the band with his then-girlfriend and musical partner Stevie Nicks. Their tempestuous relationship and drug use inspired many of Fleetwood Mac's biggest hits.

Suggesting that his departure hasn't been an amicable one, the band's Facebook page was updated on Monday (09Apr18) with a lead image that doesn't feature the guitarist and singer.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside his then-bandmates in 1998.

Meanwhile, Buckingham's departure appears to have upset Billy Burnette, the guy who stepped in to replace him from 1987 to 1997 - because he has not been invited back.

A tweet he wrote last week (04Apr18) reads: "Breaking news: Lindsey Buckingham is out but I’m not in. A little p**sed off but I'll get over it."