Category: Entertainment

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:

The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
Billy Idol
INXS
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
New Edition
Oasis
Pink
Sade
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan

The 10 nominees appearing on the ballot for the first time are Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

The seven returning to the ballot after previous tries at getting elected are the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade.

If that seems like a large crop of nominees, it is. For 2025, the total number of contenders stood at 14, three fewer than this year’s roster.

Of the seven returning to the ballot, five were on it just last year and make an instant return: the Black Crowes, Carey, Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall when his band was previously twice nominated, but the nominating committee did not hold his recalcitrance against him this year.

The third time being nominated could be the charm for four of the artists: Carey, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The three second-time nominees, meanwhile, are the Black Crowes, Idol and Sade. The Hall is not going back into its ancient history to find return nominees: All of the prior nominations for all of these artists occurred since 2021.

Pink is the only artist being nominated in her first year of eligibility; her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home,” came out in 2000.

This year’s list has what some might consider a recency bias, relatively speaking. All of the 10 first-time nominees having debuted on the scene in the 1980s, 1990s or, as with Pink, 2000, despite the annual cries from fans of older rock bands of the ’60s and ’70s that their favorites are still overdue.

Collins is the only 2026 contender who already has a spot in the Rock Hall, having been inducted as a member of Genesis.

Buckley is the rare artist getting a shot at being elected on the basis of releasing only one album in his lifetime. “Grace” came out in 1994; the singer/songwriter died in 1997.

Those who can be counted on to complain every year that the Hall should limit itself to actual rock ‘n’ roll will have plenty to gripe about this year, although others will be grateful for the wide gamut of genres spanned. Only roughly half of the 17 nominees would be considered “rock” per se: the Crowes, Buckley, Etheridge, Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis… with Collins perhaps straddling the line as a recognized superstar of pop, apart from his duties in the rock band Genesis. That leaves plenty of room in this crop for a sizable representation of pop, with Pink, Carey, and Latin-pop crossover favorite Shakira, and R&B and/or hip-hop, with Hill, New Edition, Vandross and Wu Tang in the mix.

(Although the Hall strives to be inclusive of different contemporary genres, one wildly popular genre that is not represented among these nominees, again, is country; Dolly Parton remains the only country figure inducted in the last 23 years.)

The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April. At that time, further Inductees will also be named who are entering the Hall under three special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performer Award.

Is she a killer, or is she being framed? That’s the question at the heart of “Siren’s Kiss,” Studio Dragon’s new romance thriller landing on Prime Video on March 2.

Directed by Kim Cheol-gyu, whose previous credits include “Celebrity” and “Flower of Evil,” the series centers on three interlocking characters: Han Seol-ah, a captivating art auctioneer suspected of being a serial killer; Cha Woo-seok, an insurance investigator drawn into her orbit despite his suspicions; and Baek Jun-beom, a conglomerate heir surrounded by secrets. The cast is led by Park Min-young (“Marry My Husband,” “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim”), Wi Ha-jun (“Squid Game”) and Kim Jung-hyun (“Crash Landing on You,” “Mr. Queen”).

For Kim, the project represented an opportunity to push his creative instincts to their limit. “From the opening of the first episode to the closing of the final one, tension never lets up,” he says, describing the series as one filled with “fresh concepts, unpredictable storytelling, and striking visual composition.” He adds that the genre “allows and demands a director to fully express their creative vision, imagination, and personal style,” calling the chance to helm the project “a tremendous stroke of luck.”

Park, taking on a markedly different role from her previous work, describes Han Seol-ah as “a woman who has confined herself within ice.” To capture the character’s duality – a polished professional exterior masking profound inner darkness – the actress made deliberate physical and psychological adjustments during production. She drank nearly three liters of water daily and, reflecting the character’s emotional desolation, avoided anything more sustaining. “Han Seol-ah is a woman who has emotionally stopped nourishing herself,” Park explains. “Surrounded by repeated tragedy, she survives on water and alcohol alone.” She also employed the lowest vocal register she could produce, adding a slight breathiness to her delivery – a departure she describes as unlike anything she has attempted before.

On the styling front, Park drew on research into real-world auctioneers to develop a look that tracked Seol-ah’s shifting emotional states. Strong colors and bold materials defined the character’s public-facing persona, while neutral tones and slim silhouettes appeared in her more private moments. “Compared to the office looks I’ve shown before, I wanted to convey a more avant-garde sensibility,” she says.

Wi Ha-jun, who says he read the entire script in one sitting – something he describes as unusual for him – was drawn to both the series’ tension and its undertow of warmth. “Although the series is dense and filled with tension, it also carries warmth and a sense of human compassion,” he says, suggesting the show could offer viewers “a sense of healing simply through watching.” His approach to the character’s action sequences was equally considered; rather than prioritizing technique, he focused on what each movement could reveal emotionally. “I wanted each movement to reveal his emotional state, his mindset, and his relationship with the person he is facing,” he says.

Kim Jung-hyun, meanwhile, gravitated toward the instability at Baek Jun-beom’s core. “His demeanor shifts dramatically depending on the situation. At times he treats people as objects; at others, he shows an almost excessive warmth,” the actor says. He distills the character’s relationship to Han Seol-ah in a single image: “If Han Seol-ah is the sun, Baek Jun-beom is Icarus.”

The three-way dynamic between the characters, Park suggests, defies easy categorization. “Their relationship does not begin with warmth or affection. It starts from emotions closer to resentment,” she says. “They dislike each other, yet cannot help but want to see one another again.” Wi Ha-jun describes the trio’s connection as existing on “a precarious boundary between suspicion, love, and obsession.” Kim Jung-hyun likens it to a chain – one that, handled carelessly, might snap or tangle, but handled with care, might yet be unraveled.

The series makes extensive use of an art auction house setting, and Kim Cheol-gyu says the visual possibilities that environment presented were central to the production’s identity. “A remarkable number of artworks appear throughout the series – perhaps more than in any drama to date,” he notes, adding that these works “interact organically with the characters’ psychology, costumes, and emotional states.” Park notes that the production employed a camera lens previously unused in Korean drama, which she believes contributed to a look she would describe with a single phrase: “dangerously beautiful.”

A particular sequence in Episode 5, in which all three characters collide for the first time, stood out to both the director and cast as a production highlight. “Watching the final edit with the music layered in, I remember thinking, ‘Did I really direct this?’” Kim Cheol-gyu says. On the score more broadly, he notes that the creative team pushed for music “entirely unique to this series,” and expresses confidence the soundtrack will draw significant attention upon release.

“Siren’s Kiss” is a Studio Dragon production. The company, a subsidiary of CJ ENM, is behind such titles as “Crash Landing on You,” “The Glory,” “Queen of Tears” and “Marry My Husband,” among others.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:

The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
Billy Idol
INXS
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
New Edition
Oasis
Pink
Sade
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan

The 10 nominees appearing on the ballot for the first time are Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

The seven returning to the ballot after previous tries at getting elected are the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade.

If that seems like a large crop of nominees, it is. For 2025, the total number of contenders stood at 14, three fewer than this year’s roster.

Of the seven returning to the ballot, five were on it just last year and make an instant return: the Black Crowes, Carey, Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall when his band was previously twice nominated, but the nominating committee did not hold his recalcitrance against him this year.

The third time being nominated could be the charm for four of the artists: Carey, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The three second-time nominees, meanwhile, are the Black Crowes, Idol and Sade. The Hall is not going back into its ancient history to find return nominees: All of the prior nominations for all of these artists occurred since 2021.

Pink is the only artist being nominated in her first year of eligibility; her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home,” came out in 2000.

This year’s list has what some might consider a recency bias, relatively speaking. All of the 10 first-time nominees having debuted on the scene in the 1980s, 1990s or, as with Pink, 2000, despite the annual cries from fans of older rock bands of the ’60s and ’70s that their favorites are still overdue.

Collins is the only 2026 contender who already has a spot in the Rock Hall, having been inducted as a member of Genesis.

Buckley is the rare artist getting a shot at being elected on the basis of releasing only one album in his lifetime. “Grace” came out in 1994; the singer/songwriter died in 1997.

Those who can be counted on to complain every year that the Hall should limit itself to actual rock ‘n’ roll will have plenty to gripe about this year, although others will be grateful for the wide gamut of genres spanned. Only roughly half of the 17 nominees would be considered “rock” per se: the Crowes, Buckley, Etheridge, Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis… with Collins perhaps straddling the line as a recognized superstar of pop, apart from his duties in the rock band Genesis. That leaves plenty of room in this crop for a sizable representation of pop, with Pink, Carey, and Latin-pop crossover favorite Shakira, and R&B and/or hip-hop, with Hill, New Edition, Vandross and Wu Tang in the mix.

(Although the Hall strives to be inclusive of different contemporary genres, one wildly popular genre that is not represented among these nominees, again, is country; Dolly Parton remains the only country figure inducted in the last 23 years.)

The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April. At that time, further Inductees will also be named who are entering the Hall under three special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performer Award.

ORIGINATOR

Carmen Fiorito started sharing her work in her father’s phone shop on TikTok, and in a short time, the videos in which she changed protective films on smartphones with an unusual and engaging style went viral (one of them reached over 470 million views). Thanks to her success on TikTok, she helped her family expand their business, hire staff and open new shops in different Italian cities. New Martina has now become a leading brand in electronic device protection, recognized for its high-quality products and attentive, efficient customer service. Trusted by celebrities from film, television, sports, music and mostly normal people, New Martina has become a beloved brand with over 10 million followers on TikTok, a loyal global community, drawn to its innovation, attention to detail and unwavering customer service.

What does it mean to be recognized on the Discover List?

I am so proud and honored to be nominated as an Originator! TikTok was the platform where everything started for me in 2023, and even today, it continues to give me so much satisfaction as I grow my company even more. TikTok has made my company what it is today, changing my company for the better, allowing me to reach millions of people and, above all, to open many stores throughout Italy.

Who is an entrepreneur, brand, or business that you look up to?

My favorite brand is Apple, along with Steve Jobs. I absolutely love their way of communicating and marketing, as well as their consistently innovative and original products.

Describe yourself in three words.

Courageous, ambitious, stubborn.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:

The Black Crowes
Jeff Buckley
Mariah Carey
Phil Collins
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
Billy Idol
INXS
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
New Edition
Oasis
Pink
Sade
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan

The 10 nominees appearing on the ballot for the first time are Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, Pink, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.

The seven returning to the ballot after previous tries at getting elected are the Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis and Sade.

If that seems like a large crop of nominees, it is. For 2025, the total number of contenders stood at 14, three fewer than this year.

Of the seven returning to the ballot, five were on it just last year and make an instant return: the Black Crowes, Carey, Idol, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis. The singer for the latter band, Liam Gallagher, disavowed the Rock Hall at the time, but the nominating committee did not hold that against him this year.

Pink is the only artist being nominated in her first year of eligibility; her debut album, “Can’t Take Me Home,” came out in 2000.

This year’s list has a bias toward the new, relatively speaking, with all of the 10 first-time nominees having debuted on the scene in the 1980s, 1990s or, as with Pink, 2000.

The vote will take place over the next two months, with those selected by the Hall’s 1,200 voters revealed in April. At that time, further Inductees will also be named who are entering the Hall under three special committee categories: Musical Influence, Musical Excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun Non Performer Award.

HBO Max is set to bow “Song of the Samurai,” a live-action jidaigeki series rooted in one of Japan’s most enduring manga franchises, on May 9.

The show is drawn from “Chiruran: Shinsengumi Requiem,” the long-running manga by Umemura Shinya, whose work on “Record of Ragnarok” earned him a global following after the title was adapted into a popular anime series. “Chiruran” has sustained a devoted readership across more than a decade, with 36 collected volumes and upwards of three million copies sold. It has also spawned anime and stage adaptations over the years.

The production brings together three major Japanese entertainment players: broadcaster TBS, streaming service U-Next and production house The Seven, whose previous credits include “Alice in Borderland” and “Yu Yu Hakusho.” The series arrives on HBO Max through Warner Bros. Discovery’s existing content partnership with U-Next.

The drama unfolds in late-Edo period Kyoto and follows the Shinsengumi, the storied samurai corps that served as the shogunate’s last line of defense during one of Japan’s most turbulent political transitions. At its center is Hijikata Toshizo – a former street fighter played by Yamada Yuki – whose unlikely brotherhood with Kondo Isami and Okita Soji shapes the emotional core of the series. Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.

Rounding out the cast are Go Ayano and Nakajima Kento. Sakai Masaaki penned the scripts, Watanabe Kazutaka helms the direction, and Morii Akira, Inoue Mamoru and Shimomura Kazuya produce.

Japanese audiences will get an early look via a two-night broadcast event on TBS TV – “Chapter: Youthful Days in Edo” – on March 26 and 27, with episodes streaming on U-Next straight after each airing. The second chapter, “Chapter: Fateful Showdown in Kyoto,” will then roll out weekly on U-Next every Friday as a streaming exclusive.

James Gibbons, president, Asia Pacific at Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “With a growing appetite for this genre, we hope fans enjoy this captivating new samurai story – rooted deep in Japanese culture, with passionate action and a charismatic ensemble cast.”

U-Next president and representative director Tsutsumi Tenshin added: “This project was developed with global distribution and broadcast integration in mind, aiming to expand the reach of Japanese content. With The Seven’s production quality, TBS’s creative strength, and a world-renowned manga at its core, we are confident the series will captivate international viewers.”

TBS Television president and representative director Masamine Ryuho said: “Set against the upheaval of the Bakumatsu era, this large-scale drama captures the spirit of young men living through one of Japan’s most transformative periods.”

Morii, who serves as VP, CCO and chief producer at The Seven, said the team set out to reimagine the jidaigeki genre for younger audiences. “Built on an exceptional manga original, ‘Song of the Samurai’ is brought to life through the committed performances and action of Yamada Yuki and an outstanding cast, with a contemporary vision of the samurai spirit,” he said.

Yamada, who leads the series as Hijikata, added: “In mid-19th century Japan, the Shinsengumi were among the so-called last samurai warriors who upheld the way of the sword during a time of profound change. To me, the samurai spirit is the wish to protect someone; a universal feeling that is shared across borders. I hope audiences can enjoy the action, while also feeling the emotion carried within each blade.”

Local language subtitles and dubs will be available in select markets.

Meanwhile, HBO Max will launch direct-to-consumer in new markets across Asia Pacific on March 26, including Bhutan, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Barcelona-based A Contracorriente Films, one of Spain’s top independent distributors, has taken Spanish distribution rights to M. A. Romero’s thriller “Hour and Twenty” (“Hora y veinte”), ahead of the film’s March 12 world premiere in the Málaga Festival’s official selection.

A Contracorriente has also boarded international sales on the film, with the company in talks with regular partner Latido Films sales agency about a potential international rollout deal.

Written and directed by Romero and inspired by real events, the story is set on Christmas Eve, following Manuela, an emotionally distant mother whose six-year-old son vanishes in a shopping mall. As two Guardia Civil investigators pursue the case, Manuela is driven toward a more unsettling possibility: she may be losing her grip on reality.

With no evidence of a kidnapping, the case escalates when authorities uncover her criminal past — and no one claims to remember ever seeing her with a child. With time tightening, Manuela must prove her innocence before it’s too late.

Manuela is played by Goya nominee Macarena Gómez (“Shrew’s Nest”). Rounding out the lead roles are two-time Goya winner Roberto Álamo (“May God Save Us,” “The Skin I Live In”) and three-time Goya laureate Emma Suárez (“The Dog In The Manger,” “Julieta”).

Boré Buika (“Palm Trees In The Snow”) and Alex Sorian Brown (“Evan Wood”) also star, with a special appearance from renowned Spanish vocalist Álex Ubago.

“Hour and Twenty” is produced by Luces y Acción AIE, El Orgullo Producciones, Producciones La Cochera, Womack Studios, Sorenfilms and Shift Dif, and was shot on location in Torrevieja (Alicante), Martos (Jaén) and Madrid. The film is backed by Andalusian public broadcaster Canal Sur and Torrevieja’s Town Hall.

Romero described the film as a “relentless, high-concept thriller” designed to sustain tension throughout, while keeping the emotional stakes grounded. A Contracorriente’s involvement, he added, is “incredibly meaningful” not only for this release but for what he framed as a longer-term creative relationship.

“As I continue developing new stories, it’s important to collaborate with partners who share the same ambition and vision for taking them beyond borders,” Romero said.

Actor-producer Salva Reina, CEO of Producciones La Cochera, called A Contracorriente’s boarding “Hour and Twenty” “a true validation of the film’s quality.” “Our hope is ‘Hour and Twenty’ can reach the widest possible audience – in theaters, on streaming services and across as many territories as possible,” Reina added.

Romero previously directed the crime film “75 Días,” which opened in 2021. He is currently in pre-production on “Todo Sobre Mi Padre,” described as a homage to Pedro Almodóvar, Vicente Aranda and Carlos Saura, slated to begin shooting in late 2026.