That's your lot for today folks.

Scroll down to hear all about Tom G's journey to becoming BBC Music Introducing's official 2018 rising star, Cardi B's amicable split from hubby Offset and the Surviving R. Kelly screening being shut down.

Plus audio-visual music treats from Robyn, Nile Rodgers and much more besides.

To play us out today we have Irish actress Saoirse Ronan and US chat show host Jimmy Fallon belting out a festive favourite by The Pogues.

See you tomorrow with more Music News LIVE.

Well it might not be Throwback Thursday but it is Little Richard's 86th birthday today so we're digging into the BBC Archive for a brilliant old interview.

One of the original rock 'n' roll stars - who was a huge influence on The Beatles early on - spoke to Late Night Line-Up in 1972 ahead of the release of his new record.

The results were pretty memorable as Richard, seated behind a piano, went on to explain exactly how a rock 'n' roll star should behave, even when compared to his own family.

"They don't like to dress like I do, I like to put it on," he declared.

"I love to put it on, I like to shine.

"I think everybody supposed to do their own thing, this what you call doing your own thing time."

He added:

Watch above.

It could just be a clever ploy to get some coverage but either way it's a symbol of a broader picture of change in the music industry, to redress the gender imbalance.

Following on from Anna Calvi calling time on all-male rock earlier (scroll down), NPR in the States have named an all female top 10 list of the best albums of this year., external

Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer is at the top, with Mistki's Be the Cowboy and Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves in second and third respectively.

Additionally eight of their top 10 songs are also by female artists, with only Childish Gambino and The 1975 breaking the all women stronghold.

Music society PRS this year called for a 50/50 gender split target for all festivals by 2022.

The Swedish pop star, who regaled Radio 1 listeners with a cover of Wham!'s Last Christmas yesterday (scroll down) has just shared the moody visuals for the title track from her new album, Honey.

A double reason to celebrate as it has just come fourth in the Guardian's list of the best songs of 2018, external.

Below, Nile seems to have nicked Tom Cruise's gesture-based computer interface, external from the movie Minority Report.

While that 2002 film was pretty dark and depressing, this one (below) is uplifting disco all the way.

BBC 6 Music

The singer-songwriter says rock 'n' roll has become more inclusive.

She has recently been unveiled as one of the headliners of next summer's Deer Shed festival along with Ezra Furman.

A BBC study of festivals last year showed just 6% of headliners were women.

But speaking to 6 Music, Anna - who released her third album Hunter earlier this year - explained a quote she gave to the Telegraph saying: "Rock 'n' Roll isn't over, male rockers are..."

Image source, Getty Images

A screening of the forthcoming Surviving R. Kelly docu-series was evacuated by the New York Police Department last night, after a gun threat was called in at the venue.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, external, an anonymous caller claimed shots would be fired if the screening of the films, which detail allegations of sexual assault against the R&B singer, went ahead.

#MeToo founder Tarana Burke and #OscarsSoWhite founder April Reign were reported to be among the crowd asked to evacuate the NeueHouse Madison Square, as well as Kelly's accusers; Kitti Jones, Jerhonda Pace, Lisa Van Allen, Asante McGee and Lizzette Martinez.

Kelly has been accused of running a sex cult and imprisoning women but has always denied the allegations.

BBC 6 Music

This week cult Manc indie band Doves announced their return after a lengthy hiatus.

They'll perform at London's Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust series on 29 March and then support their old pal and fellow Mancunian Noel Gallagher at a hometown Heaton Park gig on 7 June.

Tickets for both go on sale on Friday.

In April, it'll be ten years since their last album Kingdom Of Rust - they announced their hiatus a year later.

BBC Radio 6 Music's Elizabeth Alker sat down with Jimi in the studio to ask about their break and return in the new year.

Jimi said:

Listen above.

The Radiohead frontman has performed a chilling unplugged rendition of Open Again, taken from his soundtrack to the remake of the Horror film Suspiria,

The take was recorded at the Electric Lady Studios in New York City for US radio station KCRW.

Enjoy above if you're not easily spooked.

Image source, Getty Images

The singer and actress has been speaking to her mum, actress Jada Pinkett Smith and her family about her sudden rise to fame as a 10-year-old.

Speaking on the most recent episode, external of the Facebook Watch series, Red Table Talk, the now-18-year-old told Jada: "I definitely had to forgive you and daddy for that whole Whip My Hair thing.

"It was mostly daddy because he was so harsh at certain times."

Whip My Hair was her 2010 debut single, which thrust her into the public eye at a young age. It split critics being described as both "kid-friendly" and "grating".

Willow had previously admitted on one of the filmed group therapy sessions that she had a "lull" following her debut album release.

"I was just listening to a lot of dark music. It was just so crazy and I was plunged into this black hole, and I was cutting myself.”

Image source, Getty Images

Bring Me the Horizon will top the bill at London's All Points East festival on 31 May.

It's their first ever and only UK festival headline appearance of 2019.

The Sheffield band release their new album, Amor, in January, so expect some new tunes.

Also expect personally-selected support from the likes of Run The Jewels, Nothing But Thieves, Idles, Yonaka and Scarlxrd.

BMTH this week expressed their "deepest condolences" after a young man lost his life at their gig at London's Alexandra Palace.

Image source, Getty Images

Drake, Post Malone and the late XXXTentacion have come out top of the music service's most streamed artists of 2018.

Drake's tracks were played 8.2bn (that's BILLION) times and he had the most streamed album and track, with Scorpion and God’s Plan.

Post Malone had two tracks in the top five, with Rockstar and Psycho.

Image source, Getty Images

XXXTentacion was the third-most streamed artist in the world. His track Sad! was the second-most streamed track.

He was shot and killed in June.

Drake's God’s Plan was the most streamed track in the UK as well.

Image source, Getty Images

Have a look at that image above of Bey and Ed performing at last weekend's Global Citizen: 100 Mandela fundraiser in Johannesburg, South Africa.

All seems fine doesn't it as they sing their collab track, Perfect, lovingly in one another's direction.

Now look again.

The image has sparked a debate online about the accepted dress code standards for women and men at the top of the music game.

Despite being one of the highest paid men in the biz, Ed has pretty much made the skint student busker look his own. Some it seems are suggesting that top female performers would not be able to get away with it.

Twitter user Shon Faye who declared: "Ed Sheeran is a 27-year-old man the fact we’ve enabled him to feel it’s ok to dress like this at all, let alone next to Beyoncé really...

We can't repeat the next bit but let's say she is not happy.

Elle Magazine went a step further questioning whether or not it should be "legal", external for Ed to dress like this in front of pop royalty.

Others think it's each to their own, and a "pathetic" issue that does not need to be, ahem, a-dressed.

Artists including Jess Glynne, George Ezra and Clean Bandit will spend their Christmases and pre-New Years with Clara Amfo and Fearne Cotton.

They're all appearing in festive editions of Top of the Pops for BBC One.

There will be two one-hour specials on at lunchtime Christmas Day (12:30 GMT) and 29 December.

Other artists include·Anne-Marie, Freya Ridings and·Rita Ora.

“Getting to present the television that we’ve all watched as kids will never not be a joy for me," said Clara.

"I’m so very happy to be back with Fearne for Top of the Pops this festive season, see you from your sofa!”

Image source, Getty Images

That's right it's Little Mix v Piers Morgan round 2.

Following their recent debate about the pros and cons of appearing naked in their video for Strip, the TV presenter has now taken aim at Jesy Nelson from the band after she showed off her latest gun tattoo to the world on Instagram.

Jesy showed off the below fresh inkwork of a small pistol on her ribcage yesterday.

The Good Morning Britain show host and professional troll described the move as "a dangerously deluded and dumb thing to do."

Speaking on the ITV show this morning he added: “Jesy, this great role model to millions of influential young women, who wants to empower them... it’s a gun."

England footballer Raheem Sterling came under the spotlight in the summer when he decided to get a similar tattoo of a firearm.

Now the debate has been re-ignited.

BBC Music Introducing

The singer-songwriter, who made his breakthrough in 2018, has joined a list of previous winners which includes Declan McKenna and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Tom first uploaded his music to BBC Music Introducing in 2012 with his band but returned to the service four years later with his first solo material.

The 23-year-old has since recorded with the likes of Chase and Status and Bugzy Malone and his debut album Lighting Matches went top five in the UK.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning, Tom described how a brutal attack in a London takeaway left him in hospital but actually helped him to focus his writing.

"I didn't leave my house for eight months," he said.

"At first I was down but then from the pen and paper, it was therapy for me and it helped tear down the layers of all this stress."

Listen above as TG goes on to describe his hungover surprise phone call from Sir Elton John ("Elton who?") and check him out in action in the Radio 1 Live Lounge last month, below.

First up today news that two of America's hottest rappers are officially back on the market.

Cardi B and Offset - of Migos fame - have announced their split, less than four months after the birth of their baby daughter Kulture.

Earlier this summer, Cardi revealed the couple married in secret last year.

But it's all over now, baby blue, as the New York rapper has declared on Instagram.

"I've been trying to work things out with my baby father..." said Cardi.

"We've got a lot of love for each other.

"Things just haven't been working out between for us for a long time."

Image source, Getty Images

She added: "It's nobodys fault, I guess we just grew out of love," confirming "we're not together anymore".

"I dunno it might take time to get a divorce," she went on, "but I'm always gonna have a lot of love for him as he's my daughter's father."

So if you see Cardi, stop bugging her about it now.

Morning all and welcome back to Music News LIVE.

Only 20 sleeps now until Christmas.

Coming up today.

• Cardi B has split from her babyfather Offset
• BBC Music Introducing announces its artist of the year for 2018
• The Christmas TOTP lineup in announced
• Little Mix's Jesy gets some heat for her new gun tattoo

While we're getting moderately into the festive spirit, Swedish hitmaker Robyn is going all out early doors.

She smashed a cover of George Michael's old band's Xmas banger in the Live Lounge yesterday and you can check it above while go and gather some music news gifts.