Alas, we have come to the end of the MNL road for another week.

Scroll down for Chris Martin requesting an audition for his "favourite boyband" Take That, fellow new record star Rita Ora explaining her Thanksgiving faux pas and Sir Cliff Richard returning with first new music in 14 years

Plus loads of new music videos and 5 Things We Learned This Week.

We'll leave you with this incredibly surreal new video of US TV chat show host Jimmy Fallon taking Bob Dylan to the circus.

You don't see that everyday.

Have a great weekend.

Let's finish the week with a little boogie woogie, shall we?

Marc Almond - of Soft Cell fame - has today teamed up with piano master Jools Holland for an album of tunes entitled A Lovely Life To Live.

Here they are performing Mercedes 600 on Jool's show, Later..., a few weeks back.

We're getting that Friday feeling once again peeps.

Before we head off into the weekend it's time for our weekly look back at some of the best music news stories from the past seven days.

In the week that the Reading + Leeds headliners were announced, Gaz Coombes sustained a nasty domestic injury and Fontaines D.C were on the crest of a surf rock wave - here's five of the best.

Image source, Getty Images

1. Mel B said her dying father gave her the strength to end her abusive marriage

In one of many revelations from her warts-and-all autobiography, Brutally Honest, Mel B revealed that the death of her father "gave her the strength" to end her abusive marriage to US film producer Stephen Belafonte.

An excerpt from the book found the Spice Girl racing to her father, Martin's side in Leeds in March 2017 after having not seen him for three years following a row.

"I told him I was leaving Stephen and I felt his hand tighten slightly in mine," she wrote.

The 43-year-old will join fellow Spice Girls, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Horner for a reunion tour next year.

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

2. Hollywood star Snoop Dogg gave himself a big pat on the back

In true Doggy-style, the ever-modest rapper thanked himself when being awarded with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"I want to thank me for believing in me," he declared.

"I want to thank me for doing all this hard work, I want to thank me for having no days off, I want to thank me for never quitting, I want to thank me for always being a giver and trying to give more than I receive.

"I want to thank me for trying to do more right than wrong, I want to thank me for just being me at all times. Snoop Dog, you a bad ****** ******."

Who's gonna argue with that?

Not us.

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

3. Zayn sang a Bollywood hit 'for the fans'

Zayn showed his cultured side by dropping a cover of the famous Bollywood song, Allah Duhai Hai, from the film franchise Race 3 and the internet went crazy.

Yorkshireman Zayn, who's father hails from Pakistan, sang the song in Hindi and Urdu.

We were impressed and so were you lot out there it seems, with the music video having been viewed more than five and half million times on YouTube.

Listen below.

Read more.

4. How being beaten up changed Tom Grennan's life

Tom Grennan revealed he was struck down with depression after being violently attacked and mugged at the age of 18.

Speaking on the Berkhamsted Revisited podcast the 23-year-old singer-songwriter said he was loving life playing in a local covers band at the time, before he was beaten unconscious outside a chicken shop in his hometown of Bedford.

"My whole life completely changed and I couldn’t leave the house for about a year," said Tom.

He added: “Now when people tell me 'this is gonna change you - you’re gonna forget who you are'.

"Well believe me that I won’t, because I’ve been through so much that I know exactly the person I am.”

Image source, Getty Images

5. Ariana Grande put Piers Morgan in his place

Last but by no means least, good old 'Ari waded into the Little Mix v Piers Morgan debate in order to stick up for her 'sisters'.

TV host Piers hit the headlines for mocking an image from the girl band's latest music video Strip, external, in which they posed naked while covered in written insults.

Their point was to champion a body positive message but Piers said they were "using sex to sell records".

Miss Grande hit him with the below Twitter punch.

"I look forward to the day you realise there are other ways to go about making yourself relevant than to criticise young, beautiful, successful women for everything they do," she wrote.

"I think that’ll be a beautiful thing for you and your career or what’s left of it."

Do not mess with the Mix. Lesson learned. Thank u, next.

Read more.

Image source, Omega Auctions

A rare collection of photos from an iconic Bob Marley and The Wailers gig are to be sold at auction.

The photos are from a show at the Lyceum Theatre, London, in July 1975, which was recorded by Island Records and went on to become one of Marley's most popular albums.

The photos were taken by David Crowe, who attended the gig with Sex Pistols members John Lydon and Sid Vicious, as well as Jah Wobble and Keith Levine.

Crowe's photos went undiscovered for many years, only to be found when he recently moved house.

The photos will go on sale next week in Merseyside with a guide price of £30,000.

We've heard new music from some pretty established pop stars - Take That, Sir Cliff and Rita Ora - already today.

Time for something new then, starting with Brighton-based four piece Fur, whose self-titled debut EP is out on 14 February.

The above video for Angel Eyes may look like it's been filmed on a day out with The Monkees in 1960s Paris but we're assured that it is them.

Fur enough.

Reminds us we must get the croquet set out this weekend.

The band recently performed at BBC Music Introducing LIVE., external

Next up, rising Los Angeles singer Billie Eilish has released her new single, Come Out and Play, alongside a festive backdrop.

The singer was this week named on the bill for Reading + Leeds festies.

Check out exactly why above.

Finally in this trilogy, Ohio indie act The National have teamed up with the animators of Bob's Burgers to save a cartoon turkey for Thanksgiving.

It's kind of the opposite of what Nicki Minaj was doing in New York earlier in the week.

Check out the part haunting/part hilarious video for Save the Bird below.

Then run wild and free.

Image source, Aphex Twin

Electronic artist Aphex Twin is clearly jumping on the Christmas present bandwagon... by bringing out a new line of merchandise.

Available for sale to fans already is an assortment of teddy bears with creepy faces, umbrellas, baby grows, face masks and hoodies.

Each item in the collection is based on one of Aphex’s videos, including an On beach towel, Ventolin anti-pollution mask, Donkey Rhubarb teddies, a Come To Daddy baby grow and T-shirt, a Windowlicker umbrella and a T69 Collapse print.

If you're keen, the items will be available to buy online on Saturday.

Sleep well...

Image source, Getty Images

The band are releasing a new live performance CD and DVD today, on which they are backed up by a full 40-piece orchestra.

It comes three years after their last top five album and nearly a decade after they announced they were taking a break.

Speaking to the BBC, singer Mick Hucknall says the new album - which is yet to be released or even officially announced - has "progressed" their sound.

"I don't think it's ever been as funky and upbeat," he says.

"I suppose the closest comparison would be Money's Too Tight to Mention or Something Got Me Started."

His self-imposed semi-retirement from music in 2009 allowed him to help bring up his daughter and is responsible, he says, for a burst of creativity.

"I'm known as being a soul singer or a rhythm and blues singer and being at home has enabled me to focus on writing songs to showcase my voice and showcase the band.

"They are all my own compositions and I designed them for the lineup that I have and we've made this record together and I'm really excited about it.

"It's a mixture of soul and funk and rhythm and blues and it's a more direct style."

Read more

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Cliff Richard has released his first album of new material in 14 years.

One fan, however, has waited a lot longer than that to meet the 'English Elvis'.

Watch below as Doreen, who went to her first Cliff gig in 1959, gets cosy on the One Show couch with her hero.

"You came in 1959? You missed the first year?" joked Cliff.

We think we know what will be on Doreen's Christmas list.

Check out the trailer for the new record below.

Image source, Ariana Grande/ Twitter

It looks like Ariana could be heading for three weeks at number one with her break-up banger thank u, next.

So in anticipation she's filmed a pretty cool music video which might drop this weekend if the teasers on her social media are anything to go by.

It looks like the video will be harking back to some iconic teen movies from the early 00s, including Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30 and Bring It On.

The 25-year-old singer liked a fan's tweet about the theory behind the video - that it was using the song's theme of self love to bring back female film characters of the past.

One of Ari's first teasers was her in gym gear, which looked very similar to Elle Wood's Legally Blonde outfit, with suspicions later confirmed when she posed alongside, external Jennifer Coolidge, who plays beautician Paulette in the film.

Ariana also posted pictures of her and her pals on her Twitter account with the caption "meet the plastics", which could only refer to Mean Girls - but who will be playing Karen, Regina and Gretchen?

One of the biggest hints was when she posted the above image of her in a cheerleader outfit, which was worn by Kirsten Dunst in Bring It On. She later backed it up with a picture of her pals dressed as the rival East Compton Clover team from the film.

The 13 Going on 30 reference is a little bit sneakier, but Ariana posted a picture, external of herself in a red dress, which appeared to be very similar to the one worn by Jennifer Garner in the film.

Rita Ora may have one number one album to her name but Take That have seven.

Today they've released Odyssey; a collection of their hits re-worked to mark their upcoming 30th anniversary, with a few new tracks thrown in for good measure.

Coldplay's Chris Martin (above) will surely be tuning in. He's revealed that it's been his dream to join the boy/manband for years.

"I'm waiting to hear from my favourite boyband of all time, Take That, and they never call me and I'm never gonna give up."

He added: "Each night I pray that you'll want me in your band someday."

See what he's done there? Pray...

Check out the new piano ballad version of the 1993 track below, complete with retro video.

The lads will head out on tour next year, so Chris will want to keep April and May free in his diary.

BBC 6 Music

It's that most wonderful time of the year when 6 Music invites us all to dig out our favourite band T's - old and new.

Ours are currently hidden under our jumpers but we plan on a big post lunch reveal in the office.

Who are you wearing?

The station has been investigating why - in this modern streaming world - merch like band T-Shirts are so important.

Georgie Rodgers has also been finding out about "the murky world of counterfeit merch" and how it affects artists, promoters and label owners across the music industry.

Listen above.

As well as music fans (and journos) many of the stars themselves are getting involved in T-Shirt Day like Charlatan Tim Burgess (above), The Anchoress and Joy Division/New Order drummer, Stephen Morris (below).

Just for fun see how many of the artist T's you can name and vote for your fave.

Image source, Getty Images

The 1975 have announced they will be playing a tiny one-off gig at the Barfly in Camden, London.

Frontman Matty Healy is not one to do things by halves, meaning the way he announced the gig was pretty extra.

He posted a picture to his Twitter page of a huge black and white mural, which had been painted opposite the venue.

The mural read: “In December 2012, The 1975 played their first London headline show at Camden Barfly".

“On 4th December 2018, the band return to play a one-off show for their top listeners on Spotify Premium.”

Fans of The 1975 are known for being pretty hardcore, and that's a good job because it won't be easy to get tickets.

Not much has been revealed, but the gig will apparently be open to "top listeners" on the streaming platform, so if you want to be in with a chance you better get listening on repeat...

And if you don't fancy your chances, next week will also see the band releasing their brand new album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, so you can recreate the gig by putting the album on loudspeaker and pouring beer over yourself instead.

Mark Savage
Music reporter, BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Amy MacDonald is marking a decade in the music biz with the release of a new best of album today, entitled Woman of the World.

"When I started writing some of these songs 16/17 years ago," she tweeted earlier, "I'd never have dreamed I'd be in this position now."

Keep the dream alive Amy.

BBC Music reporter Mark Savage caught up with the Scots singer a few months back at BBC Music Day.

So tell me about your greatest hits album?

I like to just call it a compilation. I’m a bit embarrassed by the term greatest hits.

And calling it a compilation means you can include some personal favourites, as well as the big hits. Is that the deal?

Yes, there’s songs on there that weren’t singles and there’s songs that are completely reworked versions from the originals. It came about because it’s been over a decade now, and it was doing the BBC Biggest Weekend in Perth earlier this year that made me think about how long it’s been. Doing that show was so great for me, because it opened me up to so many people who had never even heard me before. So it seemed like a perfect time to put it all together and celebrate what’s been a decade in music.

Tell me about the title track?

I got asked to write some music for a British Disney film called Patrick. The lead character was an independent, strong female and I saw a lot of parallels to myself.

I’ve been thrust into this crazy world since I was 18 years old and I’ve had to learn to be strong and independent and stand my ground. So I kind of just thought about myself when I wrote the song – and it’s something I think speaks to so many girls and women, especially with everything that’s gone on in the past few years.

It really seems like we’re making good headway in getting equality for everyone – and I think this song is a perfect representation of me: Something new and fresh but also something that ties with all the songs I’ve written in the past.

It was produced by Rich Stannard, who everyone knows for his work with the Spice Girls. Did he have any good gossip?

I actually never met him! The funny thing is – usually producers want you to re-record vocals, but he was happy with my demo. So this song hasn’t even had one take; it’s like half of a take pieced together. So he’s obviously a true pro, if he was able to get that sounding good.

Presumably the demo was a bit more advanced than singing into the voice notes on your phone?

It wasn’t my phone but it was very rough! I maybe sang the song once or twice, and that’s the vocal that’s on the album. That’s never happened to me before.

You’re on tour next year – what’s the place you look forward to playing the most?

I used to be scared of playing in London because everybody important is there: your label, your management and everybody you need to impress. But I played the Royal Albert Hall on the last tour I’ve done, and the audience was just brilliant. So London’s now come out on top – from being the big scary one no-one looked forward to, to being one everyone’s excited about playing.

Wolf Alice recently had some fans get engaged at one of their shows. Has that happened to you?

I’m not sure – but I had an amazing letter from two people who met at my concert. They fell in love and got married and they were going to spend their honeymoon driving around Scotland in a battered old Range Rover. They basically met because of my music – and it totally changed their life for the better. At least I hope so.

Yes, you’d better hope you don’t get a second letter… ‘you were responsible for our break-up’.

Haha! No, I’ve not had any follow-ups yet.

Image source, Getty Images

Singer Nick Jonas has spent Thanksgiving in India ahead of his wedding to Priyanka Chopra.

Jonas and Chopra are reportedly getting married at Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace after six months together.

The 36-year-old actress posted a picture to her 30 million Instagram followers of her family sat round a huge table in Delhi.

"Happy thanksgiving...family...forever," she wrote as the caption.

Chopra and 26-year-old Jonas first confirmed their relationship in May, but speculation around their engagement mounted when Jonas shut down Tiffany and Co in New York in July on the hunt for a ring.

Since then the couple have been loved up on social media, including this cosy snap, external from Wednesday.

So while the wedding is definitely happening next week, there's still one question on everyone's lips - will The Jonas Brothers reunite to perform at the reception?

It's a big day for the Kosovan-born London singer.

After six long years her suitably-titled second album, Phoenix, is finally out.

The record, which features previously released singles Your Song, Anywhere and the controversial Girls, has finally risen from the flames of her 2012 self-titled #1 debut.

Ahead of the album's release, Rita had a bit of a shocker to be fair during her appearance at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City yesterday.

She missed her cue to start singing but her voice was still heard and it did not go unnoticed.

Fellow singer John Legend, who performed at the event last year leapt to Rita's defence, after she was criticised online for apparently miming.

Legend tweeted: "Fun fact. We all have to lip sync on this parade because the floats don't have the capacity to handle the sound requirements for a live performance."

Rita thanked John for "clarifying" the situation, adding that "all my shows are 100 percent live always have been!"

So that's that cleared up then.

Not only does she have an album out today but the 27-year-old also has a new collab single out with Rudimental, which seems to be a little out of kilter with the seasons.

Check it out Summer of Love below and see if it cuts through the late November chill.

Morning everyone.

We hope you're not feeling too woof today on this Black Friday.

The high street will be far too busy so you might as well join us for the next seven hours for all the day's biggest music news stories and new releases.

Coming up:

• New Music Friday with Amy McDonald, Take That, Sir Cliff, Marc Almond and more
• Rita Ora clears the air after her lip-sync fail
• Nick Jonas arrives in India ahead of his wedding

• 5 Things We Learned This Week

As well as Black Friday - and far more importantly - it's also BBC Radio 6 Music's #TShirtDay.

This grunge rocking pug above is getting involved, are you?