It's closing time here on Music News LIVE for today, so please make your way out, folks.

Before you do, a quick reminder of some of the things we've learned today.

• Shawn Mendes is sick of needing to prove to people that he's not gay
• Cardi B ain't getting on no private jet plane anymore... fool.
• Donald Trump thinks he used to look like Elvis Presley

Plus our Newbie Tuesday act from Glasgow who are aiming to be the sound of next summer, a potential return for Coldplay under a new name and a court orders big changes to clean up ticket sales.

We'll leave you today with Rudimental's performance for Live Lounge Month alongside Manchester via Glasgow singer Tom Walker (above).

We re-open tomorrow at 09:00 - see you again then.

OK, sort of but not really.

Just a bit of fun to end today, as the Californian punks, external have revealed their connection to a NASA mission.

A chip etched with the band's name on it officially landed on Elysium Planitia last night.

So if you happen to be passing...

Image source, DAVID M. BENETT

Almost four years on since his number one album Uptown Special, Mark Ronson has a new album in the works and it's as much designed to hit you square in your heart as get you on the dance floor.

Following an exclusive playback of a handful of new tracks featuring vocal performances from Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li and Yebba - the DJ spoke to the BBC's Kev Geoghegan.

He described his latest batch of songs as a series of "sad bangers".

In other words, heavy on emotion but equally serious about filling dance floors.

Afterwards, he clarified: "Obviously, I didn't invent 'sad bangers', far from it - Don't Leave Me This Way, external, I Will Survive, the entire outputs of Robyn and Drake and all the emo stuff.

"But it was nice, even if I had to go through some stuff, to have a bit of a concept present itself because otherwise my records don't have a reason to exist."

Miley teased their collab above, in the form of a string track that bangs so hard it broke the singer's emoji heart in two.

Read more.

Image source, MICHAEL KOVAC

BBC Newsbeat

Catherine Marks is one of the top female music producers in the UK.

Foals, Kelly Rowland, Boy George, The Big Moon and Kanye West are just sprinkling of the talent she has worked with.

During her career she's played a part in several platinum-selling albums and was nominated for a Grammy for her work on Wolf Alice's Moaning Lisa Smile.

Earlier this year, she added to those achievements by picking up the Producer of the Year Award at the Music Producers Guild Awards (MPG) - becoming the first woman to win the prize.

Newsbeat's Jimmy Blake asked Catherine how she made it to the top.

Image source, Getty Images

A court has ordered ticket reseller Viagogo to "overhaul" the way it does business.

The Competition and Markets Authority launched legal action against the company in August over concerns it was breaking consumer protection law.

The court said Viagogo must tell buyers which seat they will get and if there is a risk that they will be turned away at the door.

Viagogo agreed to address all the CMA's concerns, the regulator said.

In a statement, CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said the court order was a "victory for anyone who decides to buy a ticket through Viagogo".

In April, the manager of the Arctic Monkeys, Ian McAndrew, called on the government to shut down Viagogo after tickets for the band's upcoming UK tour appeared on the site for as much as £2,200.

Read more.

Pitchfork

Image source, Getty Images

Rapper Meek Mill has announced his first official tour since he was released from prison last year.

The Motivation Tour is scheduled to begin on 19 February next year in Miami.

It comes as the musician published an opinion piece in the New York Times, external this week on the urgent need to reform the criminal justice system in the US.

Here are some extracts:

"I’m busy recording an album and catching up with friends and fans as my family and I make plans to celebrate the holidays," he writes.

"It’s a far cry from last year, when the season passed with me behind bars."

"Like many who are currently incarcerated, I was the victim of a miscarriage of justice," he alleges.

"It’s clearer than ever that a disproportionate number of men and women of color are treated unfairly by a broken criminal justice system."

Mills ends the piece by saying he is "determined to use my platform to help those without the resources to make their voices heard", adding that he is setting up a foundation "dedicated to achieving real change".

In November 2017, Meek Mill was sentenced to between two and four years in prison for violating his probation, stemming from a 2007 conviction on gun and drug charges.

Jay-Z, Colin Kaepernick and Al Sharpton were among those who spoke out on the Amen singer's behalf.

He was subsequently released from prison five months later after the Pennsylvanian Supreme Court ordered his release on bail.

Get the full back story here., external

The rapper will release his latest album, Championships, on Friday.

Watch him sing the track Oodles o' Noodles Babies on Jimmy Fallon - with the obligatory bad language blanks.

Los Unidades - remember the name.

Coldplay fans have been going crazy online this afternoon after the band's label tweeted: “Parlophone Records are delighted to present new signing #LosUnidades” along with the above image of the shadow of four characters.

The band themselves liked the tweet and some clever fans found a legal trademark agreement online with all four members of the band's names on it.

Top work guys!

Is this their Sgt. Pepper moment? We hope so.

Just anything so long as singer Chris Martin does not join Take That on tour...

Image source, Getty Images

A little-known band from Pennsylvania have been making headlines on social media.

The Small Town Titans' metal version of 'You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch' - neatly timed to overlap with the animated movie currently at a cinema near you - is being hailed by Billboard 'the perfect holiday song'., external

See what you think and if you prefer it to Tyler, the Creator's new version., external

We're staying out of it.

Image source, Getty Images

Spot the difference.

Apparently The Donald (that's POTUS, rather than Glover) was the spit of Elvis growing up.

According to... the President himself.

He swung by the King's birthplace yesterday and observed how he and the Memphis superstar could have been separated at birth "apart from the blonde hair".

Image source, Getty Images

Reporters, including the Wall Street Journal's Ken Thomas, took to Twitter in glee/scorn/disbelief (below).

Here at MNL we are wondering just who this myopic "they" might have been.

We're leaning towards imaginary friends, but maybe we just have suspicious minds.

Paul Glynn
Music News LIVE reporter

Image source, Neelan Khan Vela

Jack Frost is yet to do his worst this winter, but already this week the UK music industry turns its thoughts to next May.

Over the next three nights in east London, The First 50 artists selected for stardom by The Great Escape, external new music festival will perform in front of scores of fans and industry types alike.

You'd do well to find a harder-working act among that 50 than Lucia Fairfull.

From busking solo on the streets of Glasgow to playing literally hundreds of gigs this year alone, the Weegie singer/songwriter - and the bandwho carry her name - are hoping that it's now time to make all that hard work pay.

"The live gigs only make us better," she tells Music News LIVE, "and we enjoy it more each time.

"Last year we did play gigs outside of Scotland but not a lot compared to this year. It's our favourite place to play obviously - they don’t hold back!

"But it’s been really nice to venture to other parts of the UK and show other people our music."

Lucia, who emerged from an "inspiring" creative scene in Glasgow, saw her band release their debut EP, Cheap Talk, earlier this month - under the beady eyes of award-winning producer Jim Abbiss (Adele/Arctic Monkeys/Kasabian).

The shimmering guitar record took a lifetime to write and was recorded in the summer, so a November release means it feels like it's "been a long time coming".

"It wasn’t like 'we’re gonna release an EP so we’re gonna write some songs'," explains the frontwoman, who used to clean trucks for her dad to fund the music dream.

"The writing of the songs was spread out. Some are quite old and some are new.

"We had a bank of songs and we knew which ones we loved and which ones would sit together - but not too close together.

"They all got a wee bit of something different in them, which is good and keeps people guessing what’s coming next."

Lucia adds: "Jim understood our sound and what we wanted to do.

"We tell him if we don’t like things, but he has a good ear and he was into the music we're into when he was younger too.

"He used to be in a band when he was younger, and I heard a snippet and it was mind-blowing and quite similar to what we do.

"I messaged him recently like 'can you send me that song as I can’t stop thinking about it but I can't remember how it goes and I need to hear it again...

"I’ve yet to receive it!"

Perhaps Jim thinks she'll steal it and play it back to him even better?

"No," she laughs, "we’ve got a good enough friendship for him to know that I’d never do that!

The four-piece, who have been backed by the BBC Music Introducing, external in Scotland, should arrive at Wednesday night's Great Escape showcase at the top of their game, having just finished touring with Cardiff rockers Estrons.

Back in the summer, they even opened up for heroes Nick Cave and Patti Smith at All Points East festival.

Despite drawing easy comparisons to Shirley Manson's aforementioned 90s outfit, crowds can expect a mix of grungy riffs, funky beats and more up-to-date indie references.

Whatever Lucia was feeling on the day she wrote each song basically:

"When I first started writing and being in this band I wasn't listening to Garbage all the time.

"I was more in to Blondie and Joan Jett and Bikini Kill, quite punky stuff - but I didn’t necessarily want to make music exactly like raw 70s punk.

All roads lead to Brighton next summer for a series of gigs at the actual Great Escape, on the same bill as a host of other Glasgow bands including Walt Disco.

Lucia has been to the Brighton festival several times before, but never with a shiny new record to perform.

"We've been two or three years in row now and the first year I didn’t play, I just went because some of my friends' bands were playing.

"Then we played and it was really really fun.

"It's nice to be picked alongside some of our friends.

"There’s a Weegie army!" she concludes, "aye... That’s exactly what it is."

Read Newbie Tuesday #54: Fontaines D.C on the crest of a surf rock wave

Mick Jagger is writing "lots of stuff" and thinks it's a shame the band "haven't released more new music".

"I mean, you always think the last thing you wrote is really wonderful and sometimes they’re really not!," he told the Associated Press, external.

But, he adds: "I would hope we’re going to release some music."

The Stones released covers album Blue & Lonesome two years ago but you have to go back to 2004's A Bigger Bang for the last full LP of original material.

The 75-year-old teased potential new music a few months back by posting a video of him at home playing the harmonica over a backing track.

Ahead of the band's US tour, the Rolling Stones frontman, also spoke about the "huge rush" he gets from performing live.

"When you go out in front of all those people you get an enormous rush of chemicals in your body - your own chemicals, not chemicals you’ve put in,” he adds.

The veteran star says he puts a lot of prep time ahead of each performance "keeping yourself (together) so you can get through the whole thing without screwing up physically and mentally and keeping yourself really sharp.

"But I really enjoy it.”

Tickets for the US tour go on sale this Friday.

Image source, Getty Images

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine will face trial next September.

The controversial star - real name Daniel Hernandez - is currently behind bars awaiting trial on multiple accounts, including conspiracy to commit murder.

Mr Hernandez was arrested on 18 November. He has pleaded not guilty.

The trial is scheduled for September 4, 2019, according to a spokesperson for the United States Department of Justice.

Two of the charges have a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Yesterday we reported how the rap star's forthcoming album, Dummy Boy, was leaked online over the weekend - despite suggestions it would be postponed for legal reasons.

The album is said to feature appearances from Kanye West and Nicki Minaj.

BBC 6 Music

News from The Zutons now....

No you haven't just woken up having time-travelled back to the noughties, the Liverpool band have announced they're reforming for a series of dates in March and April next year to coincide with the 15th Anniversary of their debut album, Who Killed... the Zutons?

The 2004 album, which had tracks like Pressure Point, Remember Me and You Will You Won't on it, came out in 2004 and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.

After eight years apart the band - who Amy Winehouse covered to great effect with Valery - did get back together in 2016 for a one-off fundraising show for their close friend, the late actor Kristian Ealey, and it sounds like they've kept in touch since then.

6 Music's Clare Crane spoke to Dave McCabe and Sean Payne from the band to find out more about the forthcoming tour, new music and how they want to "start loving each other again".

Listen above.

BBC Radio 1

Here they are (pictured yesterday) deep in rehearsals for their big gig.

Tune in from midday on Radio 1 to see how the UK drum and bass act will follow The 1975's best Ari.

Listen live.

On Friday we speculated wildly about what on Earth Ariana's new video for her latest single, Thank U, Next, might look like - based on the available online clues.

Now the singer has released a comical, star-studded teaser for the forthcoming music video, which - as predicted by many - parodies the cult teen film Mean Girls.

Jonathan Bennett, from the aforementioned show, appears in the new clip alongside YouTuber Colleen Ballinger (aka Miranda Sings), singer Troye Sivan and more.

In a skit of one of the 2004 movie's most famous scenes, they're all seen responding to rumours about Ari, including how she was pregnant, split up with her fiance and then became a lesbian.

We can't bring you the trailer here due to Troye's potty mouth, but you can easily find it online - if that kind of thing does not offend you.

Image source, Getty Images

It's going to be a Brave New World - that's Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson's view of Brexit and the ever after.

The small town Worksop boy turned international metal megastar has no fears about our post-Brexit future.

“Brexit actually opens our borders, Brexit opens the United Kingdom to the whole of the world,” he told French news magazine, L'Obs, external.

Dickinson suggested Europe would be “run a lot better” if musicians were in charge and added that he didn’t foresee any negative impact on touring bands, despite fears raised by the industry.

“I don’t see any problem with touring Australia - that’s not part of the EU.

"There’s no problem with touring in Japan - that’s not part of the EU. I don’t see any problem with touring America. Oh, let me see - that’s not part of the EU.

"Do those musicians have problems coming to Europe? No."

Thanks for that lesson in geography, Bruce. Seems like all that (lucrative) touring has taught you a thing of two...

Rolling Stone magazine

In a candid interview with Rolling Stone magazine the Canadian pop star has spoken about the negative impact that people speculating about his sexuality could have on many others.

In the article, entitled Confessions of a teen idol, the 20-year-old admitted that attention surrounding his personal life has caused him a lot of stress.

“I’d like to say I don’t care about it, but that’s not true,” he said.

“This massive, massive thing for the last five years about me being gay.”

He added: "In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone - like a girl - in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay.

“Even though in my heart I know that it’s not a bad thing. There’s still a piece of me that thinks that. And I hate that side of me.”

The article goes on to explain how last Christmas, the Stitches singer - who has had three US number one albums already - was reading YouTube comments about his sexuality when he decided enough was enough.

"That’s something that kills people. That’s how sensitive it is. Do you like the songs? Do you like me? Who cares if I’m gay?"

Well said that man.

Read more., external

Image source, Getty Images

Next up, men in hats.

For the first time, veteran singers Bob Dylan and Neil Young have been announced as joint headliners at a UK music festival.

Both musicians will play London's Hyde Park as part of British Summer Time on 12 July - though it's not yet clear in which order they will play (names in a hat, perhaps?)

The pair have shared a stage many times previously - including during The Band's last ever gig, which was chronicled in the Martin Scorsese-directed The Last Walz.

They've also named-checked each other in several songs.

In 2005, Young told Time magazine he was a "B" student of Bob Dylan, adding: "I'll never be Bob Dylan.

"He's the master. If I'd like to be anyone, it's him."

Dylan repaid the compliment in 2007, telling Rolling Stone, external: "He's sincere and he's got a God-given talent. With that voice of his and the melodic strain that runs through absolutely everything he does... There's nobody in his category."

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

We all know that feeling Cardi (that's why we get the train or bus).

The New York rapper has vowed never to take a private jet again after an emergency landing left her stranded in the Windy City,

Posting a video to social media, Cardi said: "I’m stuck in Chicago.

"We had to do an emergency landing in Chicago.

"Let me tell you something… I’m not taking no more [flipping] jets."

She added: "I don’t give a [flip], bro.

"These type of [things] don’t happen on [flipping] Delta.”

That could almost be a TV advert for the aforementioned airline right there.

With the appropriate bleeps, of course.

Following yesterday's news regarding 6 Music's top 10 albums of the year, Radio 1 have now launched the longlist for their Hottest Record of the year.

Among some of the big names are tracks by Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, Drake/Michael Jackson and Florence, as well as Christine and the Queens, George Ezra, Janelle Monae, Peggy Gou and The 1975.

Check out the full list of tracks below and select your favourite., external

Without wishing to influence the vote, here's a random selection of the tracks - just to refresh your memory.

We hope they're not too hot for you to handle.