...and music news, of course.

It's always best to be across what's going on in the world and that's where we can help you.

Scroll down to find out what new acting roles Metallica's James Hetfield and Rita Ora have landed and the "banal" reason why a US judge dismissed a copy Taylor Swift copyright case.

There's plenty of Valentine's treats within too from the likes of Camila Cabello, Ellie Goulding, Ryan Adams and Arctic Monkeys fan Dua Lipa.

Be good to your lovers tonight and we'll be back tomorrow to tell you who stole whose heart at the NME Awards.

Mwah x

Julian Casablancas' slightly less famous band The Voidz have released another new music video from their forthcoming album Virtue.

The album is out on 30 March but you can check out the slow-burning track Pointlessness above along with distorted picture of a bell.

Speaking of Jules' old band, their former producer spoke to 6 Music about the making of seminal record Is This It? as part of their station's Loves New York series.

Listen below.

The Cambridgeshire alt-rockers made the announcement via their Facebook page saying "we respect his decision and wish him well for the future".

Instead of finding a new singer, bassist Sam Douglas will take up frontman duties.

"We’ve been working hard behind the scenes writing and recording new music. We are very keen for you to hear it and you won't be waiting long," the band added.

Not wasting any time, they've also announced a string of intimate UK dates in April which are on their website, external.

Whilst giving fans an update on new music.

As her album "isn't ready yet", she has covered Don McLean's Vincent - a tribute to the great post-impressionist painter.

Also she's giving us all a "big hug".

Awww.

BBC Radio 1

As well as announcing (with an old family picture above) that she's become the "youngest female artist to hit 1 BILLION views on a music video" on Youtube, Dua Lipa has been recording a Live Lounge special today... from LA.

Well she does play by her own rules.

The 22-year-old knocked out a cover of the Arctic Monkeys' Do I Wanna Know, which many of you were loving online.

But did she also just let slip some major AM festival news in the process? Gulp.

That performance will be up on the Radio 1 Youtube page v.soon.

The Brit Awards' British breakthrough acts dominate this week's Live Lounge. Or Live Luge it could be, at the Winter Olympics... #Sorrynotsorry.

Yesterday, Mercury Prize winner Sampha followed J Hus in, to perform one of his own award-winning tracks, Blood on Me,

He also knocked out a cover of Daft Punk/Pharrell's Get Lucky and that one will be available v.soon too.

Image source, Getty Images

Ali, Astro and Mickey from the two tone Birmingham band have joined the lineup for next month's series of charity gigs at London's Royal Albert Hall.

And they're in good company, opening up for the likes Chic and Nile Rodgers, Roger Daltrey, Courteeners, Kasabian and Def Leppard.

Comedian Russell Howard will host an evening of comedy too.

Check out the full dates below and easy on the red wine for those midweek gigs folks.

He's brought his mate and MNL fave Loyle Carner on board for his tune Water Baby.

Apparently it was shot on location in Ukraine and in London.

It's been taken from Tom's forthcoming debut album Geography, which is out in April.

Latino pop princess Camila Cabello wants you - yes YOU - to be her Valentine, at a location of your choice... as long as you don't mind waiting until this summer to meet up.

The Cuban singer will arrive in the UK for her first ever solo headline tour, entitled Never Be The Same, in June.

She'll play Glasgow on 5 June, Birmingham the following night, then London on 12 June.

Tickets are on sale on Friday.

OK everybody, now breathe.

That's the warning from Bristol electro-pop starlet Rothwell.

She's released the video for her new track Velvet Heart and it sees a young couple roller skating with her pal around the mean streets of Brighton.

But it's not all fun and carries a serious message to all you romantics out there today.

Rothwell said: “The song is about people who fall in love quickly and when they fall, they fall hard. You can give them all of the advice in the world, but when it comes to listening, they never do and end up having their little hearts trampled on.”

OK so she won't be wanting these chocolates that have arrived for her then - no?

US country blues man Ryan Adams is no stranger to heartbreak and he's released a new Valentine's Day themed track too called Baby I Love You (not The Ronnettes version).

There's no video of Ryan roller skating anywhere sadly but he has left a pink rose, the soppy old sod.

You can hear the new track now in all the usual places.

BBC Radio 1

Annie Clark to her pals.

The singer/guitarist spoke to Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac last night about singing with her ex; model Cara Delevingne, writing twisted nursery rhymes and America's dependency on pharmaceuticals.

Don't worry, there are no known side effects to listening to the track/chat above unless you include head nods and bottom wiggles.

Image source, BB

The singer is set to perform and collect the music mag's godlike genius award later at London's Brixton academy.

Grime outfit BBK will also pick up the innovation award, while Shirley Manson and Pale Waves will also be recgonised.

We'll bring you all the action and reaction from the red carpet in tomorrow's MNL so tune in then if you want to know all the gossip.

The Hollywood Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

She hasn't joined yet so don't go searching for her in an abandoned warehouse, field or wherever else the GO ap sends you in the real world.

No sooner had she finished work on the steamy new Fifty Shades film, now singer-actress Rita is set to join the cast of the live-action movie Detective Pikachu, alongside Ryan Reynolds.

Rita, who will perform at next week's Brits, joins a supporting cast that includes Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy and Suki Waterhouse.

We don't know as yet who Rita will play but debate is raging in the MNL office as to whether she is more Jynx or Jigglypuff.

Hit singles, awards bashes, movie roles... Gotta catch them...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

OK after today we might stop covering this one as it's all getting a bit 'he said / she said' but D’Arcy Wretzky has hit back at Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan after he claimed that she had been constantly "deferring" offers to join the band for their upcoming reunion.

According to the countdown clock on their website, external we shall find out tomorrow what form that reunion will take - new music? new tour?

However in no uncertain terms, the (we assume now former) Pumpkins bass player told Alternative Nation, external:

"He thinks it’s a privilege for anyone to be in his presence, so therefore he shouldn’t have to tell me, and I shouldn’t have to be invited."

Listen to the interview in full, external but be warned about the language.

We remember this bubble bath like it was yesterday.

For the purposes of the new Ted Bundy biopic at least.

They've already won a big prize (scroll down) but now James is putting himself in contention for an acting award.

He'll play Utah highway patrol officer Bob Hayward in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, as reported by Deadline, external.

The hard rocking frontman will act alongside Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron (pictured above) who plays the notorious serial killer.

We're totally buying the "someone's farted in this room and no-one is admitting it" atmosphere of this photo.

The clever boys and girls over at Lovebox have played a blinder with their headline choices for this year's event, which moves, for the first time, from east London's Victoria Park to west London's Gunnersbury Park

Probably one to avoid though if you like your music more guitar-led.

Because they're not getting any better.

Here's the latest effort from the wax museum in Niagra Falls (above).

Twitter user Kashana correctly points out that it looks more like Dee from the comedy series It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, than the Lemonade singer.

See...

Image source, Getty Images

Bey's own dear old daddy Mathew Knowles told BBC Radio 5 live last week that his daughter's lighter skin tone had helped her career, in an industry rife with "colourism".

However, it seems the new model is almost entirely white.

We're not sure if anything will ever beat last summer's Lindsay Lohan era Beyonce from Madame Tussauds, however.

So, kind of a bittersweet victory for Taylor Swift whose lawyers have had a copyright claim over her track Shake It Off thrown out of court.

Sean Hall and Nathan Butler sued Taylor last year, arguing the hit song stole from their composition, Playas Gon' Play.

They said Taylor's chorus relied on their lyric, "playas, they gonna play, and haters, they gonna hate".

The writers argued that, despite the short phrasing of the lyric, combining the two thoughts was original enough to warrant protection.

Judge Michael W Fitzgerald disagreed:

"In the early 2000s, popular culture was adequately suffused with the concepts of players and haters to render the phrases 'playas… gonna play' or 'haters… gonna hate', standing on their own, no more creative than 'runners gonna run', 'drummers gonna drum', or 'swimmers gonna swim.'

We imagine the post-case debrief went a little bit like this...

Lawyer: "Tay Tay! Great news, the case was thrown out!"

Taylor: "Fab, what did the judge say?"

Lawyer: "Oh he said...erm... Well, he's just a big fan..."

Read more

For decades, they have carved out a niche as one of the heaviest mainstream bands in the world and for their troubles, Metallica are being honoured with the Polar Music Prize.

One of the most prestigious awards in music comes with a £90,000 prize, which the band will be presented with in Stockholm this June.

They're the first metal band to win the award, which has previously gone to the likes of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and Chuck Berry.

Organisers said the US band - who headlined Glastonbury two years ago - could transform "a teenage bedroom into a Valhalla".

Here is the full citation:

"The 2018 Polar Music Prize is awarded to the American band Metallica. Not since Wagner's emotional turmoil and Tchaikovsky's cannons has anyone created music that is so physical and furious, and yet still so accessible.

"In Metallica's world, both a teenage bedroom and a concert hall can be transformed into a Valhalla.

"The strength of the band's uncompromising albums has helped millions of listeners to transform their sense of alienation into a superpower."

Wow.

"It's a great validation of everything that Metallica has done over the last 35 years," said drummer Lars Ulrich.

" At the same time, we feel like we're in our prime with a lot of good years ahead of us."

Read more

Morning all.

We trust you were all showered with gifts and affection by your loved ones this morning.

We'll be showering you with a heartshaped box of music news today as well, including Taylor Swift shaking off a copyright claim, Metaliica's James Hetfield acting opposite a serial killer and why people should really stop making waxworks of Beyonce.

Plus the latest from the ongoing Smashing Pumpkins reunion feud (there's no love lost there).

While you open all your cards we'll kick off with a romantic classic from The Ronettes...

...and for those of you out there with nobody to love this Valentine's Day, here's an informative feedback drenched present from the kind hearted people at Pitchfork.