Tarah la's.

We are out of here.

Hope you had as good a first week of the new year as Ed's super-producer Steve Mac - who has been honoured by The Brit Awards.

Scroll down for news of that plus new music from Justin Timberlake, MGMT, Lana Del Rey, Rae Morris and Craig David/Bastille.

Biffy Clyro share their big album plans for 2018, Jack White signs up a NYC rapper to his label and Diddy is LOVE again (for now at least).

Also find out which mega stars are set to play The Grammys at the end this month, as well as 5 things we've learned this week/year so far.

Have a great weekend, stay strong on those resolutions and see you Monday.

Let's throw forward to next Thursday now for a minute as Jorja Smith and Stormzy appear to have something up their collaborative sleeves for us.

Both British singers graduated from the BBC Sound of... school (not a real school by the way) in 2017 and 2015 respectively.

Jorja's tweet above simply urges us to "listen out" and we shall.

Another thing to listen out for next week are the top five names in the BBC Sound of 2018 poll.

The winner will be announced on Friday.

Check out the runners and riders once more, who'll be hoping to emulate those two above and last year's winner Ray BLK (below), in their own stylee.

Image source, Getty Images

And what a week it's been, first one of the new year and all that.

If you didn't catch it at the tail end of last year, here were the 52 Things We Learned in 2017.

But we never stop learning - so out with the old and in with the new...

1) Mariah Carey made up for her shaky start to 2017

The first thing we wrote about in 2017 was Mariah Carey's spectacular musical belly flop during her 2016 NYE performance in New York's Times Square.

The eve of 2018, however, saw her redress the balance when she returned to sing two songs, external - to ring in the New Year.

However, you don't get to Mariah's levels of diva-ness without finding something to complain about .

"They told me there would be tea," she said.

"I'm going to be like everybody else, with no hot tea."

Read more.

2) Isaac Gracie is your sensitive boy with a guitar star for 2018

Pitched somewhere between Jeff Buckley, Ed Sheeran and James Bay, singer-songwriter Isaac Gracie is careful not to let the hype get to his youthful 23-year-old head.

"Whilst those things are really nice to hear and when I'm feeling comfortable some day, maybe I'll take it all in and it'll make me smile."

His debut album, which is due this year, has been produced by the famed Markus Dravs who has won Grammy album of the year awards with Arcade Fire and Mumford Sons.

"The album was living in limbo because it took a while and was such an exhaustive process to make something really good and I think we achieved that," Isaac told us.

"When you invest so heavily mentally and emotionally in something, it's really difficult to finish that process and find out what you've made."

Read more.

3) DJ Khaled plans on shedding some pounds with the help of Weight Watchers

We don't know if you bothered with New Year resolutions this year but one man DJ Khaled plans on moving a couple of notches back up his belt.

The US producer, with friends in high places (Drake, Rihanna, Diddy/Love), has been snapped up by Weight Watchers as their latest high profile member - or to be more specific social media ambassador.

Apparently he'll "freestyle his way to his goals" and is already "down 20 pounds and ready for more."

Read more.

Image source, PA/Getty

4) Each of us streamed more than 1,000 songs last year...

UK music fans streamed more music than ever before in 2017 - an astonishing total of 68.1 billion songs.

That's the equivalent of everyone in the country playing 1,036 tracks, or almost three continuous days of music, on sites like Apple Music and Spotify.

The biggest surprise (not) is that most of them were by Ed Sheeran - who had four of the Top 10 biggest-selling singles of the year.

2017 also saw the likes of Dua Lipa, Stormzy, Harry Styles and J Hus achieve the 100,000 sales milestone.

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

5) Do NOT mess with Green Day's Billie Jo

Because he WILL destroy you.

Well, maybe your online music playlists.

Billie Jo demanded a Twitter follower stop listening to his band's music after he disagreed with the singer's increasingly exasperated stance on US President Donald Trump.

"This is our president acting like a madman drunk on power THREATENING to kill innocent starving people by way of nuclear war," said the punk rocker.

"This man is sick and unfit for office... this has to stop."

When the followers replied saying that people had the right to support the President, Billie Jo unleashed a furious tirade with too many swearwords to list here.

Read more.

It also got us thinking about the other musicians who have unleashed torrents of vitriol when challenged by one or more of their own fans.

From Eminem to Paul Weller via Chrissie Hynde, here are a few more.

Image source, Getty Images

Did you even know he had had a first one out?

Nope, us neither. Perhaps that's a case for Mulder and Scully.

The X Files actor's second album, confusingly titled Every Third Thought, will be with us on 9 February.

Apparently, like Bob Dylan in 1965, he's ditched the folk vibes of his first album Hell or High Water and gone all-out rock.

Duchovny said in a statement: "I feel like this album presents a real growth lyrically and musically from the first and I can't wait to get it out there."

Well, they do say the truth is out there...

Not in Foals anymore, that's for sure.

The Oxfordshire math stadium rockers have announced their bass player Walter Gervers is leaving the band.

The band shared the news on social media with a heartfelt hand-written note.

"Sadly we have to announce that our mate Walter has decided to leave the band to pursue a new life.

"The parting has been sad but we remain firm friends. He’ll always be out brother, we love him and wish him well in his future endeavours."

The musician had been with the band since they formed in 2005.

Fans will probably have heard their collaboration I Know already on Radio 1, but now you can watch it in all it's neon pool bar glory above.

We think they were setting themselves up for some morning after headaches after Craig declares:

"It's gonna be a heavy night / Way too many drinks, ain't even started."

But hang on a minute, the UK garage comback kid and indie band seem to be singing their own new single in the karaoke booth - which is good going considering the album is not even out yet.

2018 folks: Anything is possible.

Craig's seventh studio LP The Time Is Now drops on the 26 of this month and will be in a karaoke booth near you soon.

BBC World Service

The undisputed Queen of Soul is the subject of a new documentary on the BBC World Service.

Aretha at 75, presented by Mark Cole talks to musicians, fans and producers from different parts of the world about what makes Aretha so special.

It charts her beginnings in the church in the 1960s to the charts and through her re-invention of the eighties, which saw her work with artists like George Michael.

British journalist David Nathan recalls (above) how as a teenager working in a record shop, he called her up after finding her manager's phone number on some publicity material.

You can listen to the full documentary.

Go steady there Rae, we don't want you to burn out so soon in 2018.

The Blackpool artist has released the opening track from her second album Someone Out There, which drops in February.

It's a slow burner to whet our appetite for what's to come.

The 25-year-old smashed her performance at BBC Music Introducing's 10th birthday bash last year and you can read her cautionary tale as to what not to do when handing out a demo, from our chat with her in October.

We can't wait to hear the album.

The Hollywood Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Or Cliff Smith, to give him his proper name.

The rapper has joined the lineup for a new reboot of the 1970s blaxploitation action movie.

Warning: This post gets quite confusing from here on in and there's not much we can do about it.

Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as the original John Shaft's nephew, also called John Shaft, whom he played in the 2000 film update (pictured below), directed by John Singleton.

Shaft's original star Richard Roundtree made a cameo in that film and will also star in the new film, while Meth - or Cliff to his pals - will play an old friend of Shaft’s (Jackson, rather than Roundtree) from the neighborhood.

Image source, Getty Images

It's due for release in 2019.

So in conclusion... the film is a reboot of the original film, with Jackson starring as the original John Shaft but the original John Shaft is also in the movie and he has already played Jackson's uncle John Shaft in the 2000 film.

So, does this mean he'll be playing his own uncle in the reboot?

This is very meta and our heads are hurting - but we did warn you.

Image source, AFP

Well, a walk on the Boulevard to be more precise.

Mary J. Blige is to get her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week.

According to Variety, external, Diddy...sorry...Love (scroll down) will take part in the unveiling.

Mary J's star will be under the musical recording category, despite her acting work in film and TV.

It's building up to be a big week as she's been nominated for best performance by an actress in a supporting role in Mudbound at this weekend's Golden Globes.

"Mary J. Blige is one of the most popular singers of our generation. Fans will be thrilled to see her star on the Boulevard,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.

Last year we saw the sultry New York songstress collaborate with The Weeknd, external and hang out in the studio with Miles Kane, as well as scoring a third UK number one album of her own with Lust For Life.

Now she's started 2018 by appearing on the new track from Michigan singer/songwriter BØRNS,

God Save Our Young Blood is taken from his second album Blue Madonna, which is out next Friday and you can check it below.

Re-read Lana telling our reporter Mark Savage about how she was "jolted into the real world" from last summer.

kerrang

OK, it's not quite in the same scale as King Gizzard's five albums of 2017 but still a lot to look forward to fan for fans of the Biff.

The band released their seventh album Ellipsis in 2016.

Speaking to Kerrang! , externalmusic mag, singer Simon revealed: "One is for a movie directed by Jamie Adams, based around the songs on an album we’re making.

He added: "The record will influence the film and then feed back to the music. It’s an unusual way to make a record, and that’s why I’m buzzing about it - it’s a different way to feel inspired.

"It will be out later in 2018, and then it’ll be Biffy opus eight!”

Wonder what number nine will be like? Stay tuned.

The band are off down under to play a handful of shows in Australia and New Zealand in April.

His local postal service workers must be tearing their hair out.

Now, the world's richest rapper has decided he is back to Love, having previously publicly retracted the name.

He's now publicly "un-retracted the retraction".

Got it?

Speaking to US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel, he said: "I made an edit from Brother Love, because I'm already black, to just love. The brother seemed redundant.

"It's working out great, who doesn't love love?"

Good question. Make us a brew if you're up, love.

Image source, PA

You may not know the face/name but you'll certainly know a lot of the big Mac's output, from last year alone.

The British producer will be honoured by the Brits after having co-written and produced the most streamed track of all time and the highest selling UK single of last year.

You know, this one...

Ring any bells?

As well as working with Ed he also co-wrote/produced hit records by Rita Ora and Liam Payne (both below), as well as a Grammy-nominated Pink song that you'll find by scrolling down this page.

Steve, who has amassed 200 million worldwide sales, said: "I feel truly humbled to receive this prestigious award, especially as it’s voted for by my peers who I greatly respect.

The Brits nominations launch takes place on 13 January while the main event itself is on 21 February.

Stick that latter date in your calendar, as we'll be running a dedicated live page for the event so you don't miss a thing.

Read more.

Image source, Getty Images

The Recording Academy announced the first set of live performers for the 60th Grammy Awards at the end of this month after we left you yesterday - with Lady G and Pink topping the bill.

Rapper/singer/actor Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover and country outfit Little Big Town will also perform at the awards on Sunday 28 January at Madison Square Garden in New York

Gaga is nominated for best pop vocal album for Joanne, while Pink is up for best pop solo performance for What About Us.

Last year's awards saw an emotional Adele dedicate one of her three big awards to a pregnant Beyonce, who she described as "the artist of my life".

We'll be running a special dedicated Music News LIVE Grammys page on the night, so join us then.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

New York City-based Shirt has been revealed as the first rapper on White Stripes guitar legend Jack White's Third Man Records.

The Queens hip hop star's album Pure Beauty is set for release on 9 February and he's dropped a new music video for his Flight Home, which sees him rapping on top of a van driving through the Big Apple.

There's some pretty offensive language from the start but if you don't mind that you can find it over on his YouTube page now.

It's a world away from Hotel Yorba and Jack's label describe it as "triumphant".

Image source, Getty Images

Everybody's favourite psychadelic mad heads MGMT are back with a magic eye style new music video today.

Hand It Over is the third cut from their forthcoming fourth album Little Dark Age, which is expected sometime around February, and sees Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser on typically trippy form.

Tune in to their YouTube channel for more (though there is a language warning).

Quite literally.

JT released details of his forthcoming album Man of the Woods earlier this week which will apparently see him get back to nature.

The video for the new track however could not be further removed and places him very much in the future with a dancing cyborg, who is equally adept on the dancefloor as his creator.

While all this is going on, Justin sings:

"Put your filthy hands all over me, sing / You know, this ain't the clean version / And what you gonna do with all that meat?/ Cookin' up a mean serving."

It's a co-write with name-alike Timbaland (and one or two others) and the singer is urging us all to play it "very loud".

Please listen responsibly.

Image source, Getty Images

Them other boys don't know how to act.

Morning all, the first Friday of 2018 brings new music from the right reverend Justin Timberlake.

Plus Lana Del Rey is re-BØRN on another new track and the MGMT boys are back.

Also in the news Biffy Clyro are set to release TWO new albums this year, the first set of live performers at the Grammys 2018 have been announced and Jack White signs a NYC rapper to his label.

Later on we'll reveal 5 things we've learned this week/year.

For now check out yesterday's MNL for new music from The Vaccines and Superorganism, as well as news of collabs from Liam Payne/Rita Ora. Bruno Mars/Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar/SZA