We're off now to mull over our festival/gig options for this summer.

If you are too then scroll down for news of Download, TRNSMT, Outlook, Brian Wilson and more.

Plus see what happens when over 1,000 musicians come together in a small Italian city to jam a Nirvana classic.

We'll leave you with the new one theatrical American art-rock trio Future Islands, ahead of the release of their new album The Far Field, which drops in April and will apparently feature a certain Ms D Harry (scroll down for more on her).

Oh and this from birthday boy Harry Styles.

He's 23...and never been kissed (that may or may not be true).

The Chainsmokers - let's be honest - you either love them or you hate them.

But even they saw the funny side after they were referred to as the "Nickelback of EDM" in a less-than-glowing, external critique by Esquire magazine.

"They're doing for EDM what Nickelback did to post-grunge arena rock: becoming immensely popular by using the worst cliches the genre has to offer, and then taking it down to the river and putting it out of its misery."

Ouch.

Luckily, an American Music award, a Grammy nomination and a chart-topping song which has been viewed 140m times on YouTube gives a sense of perspective...and humour.

So now they've responded to the criticism.

BBC 6 Music

Image source, Get

American folk rocker Conor Oberst has been in 6 Music studios today talking to DJ Lauren Laverne about his new record Salutations; the full band follow up to last year's acoustically-led Ruminations.

The former Bright Eyes man tells Lauren all about the perils of contracting 'demo-itis' in the studio, his return home to "snowy Omaha" after 13 years living in New York and performs a beautiful stripped-back track off the album, as well duetting on another taken from his cult classic LP I'm Wide Awake It's Morning...which he says he got "tired of singing for a while".

Well we certainly never tire of hearing it.

The 36-year-old plays the London Palladium tonight and the similarly iconic Albert Hall in Manchester tomorrow night, before dropping in on Edinburgh and Dublin.

Deadline Hollywood

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Tye BET channel in the US has given the green light to a mini-series about rapper Nas, according to Deadline Hollywood.

Street Dreams, named after Nas’ breakout hit song, is set in a turbulent early 90s New York City and has been described as "a show about music, family and the trials and tribulations of the rap game".

Check out the series, which the rapper is also executive producer on below (don't worry it's the clean version).

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That's according to Radio 1's MistaJam.

He's selected the Oxford indie band's single Pork Soda, taken from 2016 album How to Be a Human Being, as THE track to listen to right now.

And it's a smasher.

Check it out for yourself and find out what Pork Soda is below.

We're sticking on the lemonade for now but other fizzy drinks are available.

NME

One of the best stories of last year was when a bunch of musicians, and by a bunch we mean over 1000, got together in a field in Italy, external to try and convince the Foo Fighters to play in the small city of Cesena.

The video went viral and has since has move than 35m views.

Now, the Rockin' 1000 as they call themselves have got back together to record a Nirvana classic - Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Organiser Fabio Zaffagnini told the NME: "We will probably think about going on and organising other live shows, but we don’t have an idea about where to do that.

"We’d love to have an experience outside of Italy but we just finished a week ago so…we’re just figuring out what to do next."

Next stop, Wembley?

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The Grammy's have used Taylor Swift's defiant speech, external from last year's event, when she became the first woman to win the coveted best album twice, as the basis for an inspirational new ad.

Swift appeared to address the row with Kanye West over his track Famous, when she said: "I want to say to all the young women out there: There are going to be people along the way who try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame..."

In the new trail, which you can watch below, a series of young girls quote Taylor's speech.

The Grammy's are held in the US on Sunday 12 February and another leading lady Beyonce is out in front with a massive nine nominations.

Image source, Getty Images

We could all do with some good vibes round about now and that's exactly what former Beach Boy Brian Wilson is planning to bring after announcing a Pet Sounds 50th anniversary tour.

The seminal 1966 album, which was hailed by Paul McCartney as a huge influence on The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, was already set to be given a dusting down and performed at UK festivals Kendal Calling and Camp Bestival this summer.

Now Brian will perform classic pop hits like Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows and Sloop John B from that very record for "one last time" at the Hammersmith Apollo, London on 1 August and Sheffield City Hall the day after.

In a statement, the 74-year-old singer/songwriter said: “I’m really happy to be able to come back to the UK and perform Pet Sounds yet again for all our fans.

"We want to thank the fans in the UK for all their support, and look forward to playing these shows this Summer. Love and Mercy, Brian.”

Good vibes indeed.

Image source, Getty Images

Bob Dylan may be releasing a triplicate (scroll down) but we have the third in our own trilogy of festival news for you now.

It comes courtesy of London rapper Dizzee Rascal who will headline the opening night of Outlook Festival, external in Croatia this summer.

In fact there's a pretty strong contingent of British rappers heading to the Adriatic town of Pula for the festival set inside an old Roman amphitheatre no less. 

Image source, Getty Images

Dizzee, who'll perform after DJ Shadow, will be joined by Wiley, fellow grime MC Giggs (who got a run out with Drake on Sunday night in London), Bugzy Malone, Goldie and AJ Tracey.

So best fix up and look sharp then if you're heading over that way from 6-10 September.

We gave you a snippet of this performance yesterday but now you can check out the full performance of former Fifth Harmony singer Camilla Cabello in the Radio 1 Live Lounge.

She was joined by fur-coated rapper Machine Gun Kelly for their track Bad Things, which you can watch below.

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The duo also rolled out a cover version of Jame's Arthur's number one single Say You Won't Let Go, external.

James heard it. And he liked what he heard....

Image source, Getty Images

He's been partial to covering Ol' Blue Eyes in recent times but now Bob Dylan has returned to the Frank Sinatra well for another drink with a country-style twist.

Last year's Nobel prize winner will release the self-explanatory Triplicate on 31 March.

His last two albums Shadows in the Night and Fallen Angels have both seen Bob re-work Frank's tunes and now he's had another go below with a deeply mournful version of *I Could Have Told You

*Probably the last words you want to hear after a bad break-up.

It's the first track of the forthcoming three-disc record which also contains renditions of the The Best Is Yet to Come and September of My Years.

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Some more festival news for you now as Download has announced a massive batch of new bands for this year's event at Donington Park in the midlands from 9-11 June.

The full list of 48 bands include artists such as Steel Panther, Suicidal Tendencies, Moose Blood (above) and Creeper.

They join the previously announced headliners System Of Down, Biffy Clyro (second mention of the day for The Biff) and Aerosmith.

If you can't wait until June for a hefty slice of rawk-cake with your mid-morning cuppa, then check out Moose Blood in session for Radio 1 below. 

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Image source, Getty Images

New Scottish festival TRNSMT, external have gone all out for its debut year, securing two of the biggest headliners in the business and fist-pumping local favourite to boot.

Radiohead, Kasabian and Biffy Clyro ('mon the Biff!) have all been announced to perform at Glasgow Green on 7-9 July.

Sergio Pizzorno from the Leicester dance-rockers told Radio 1's MistaJam last night that the "The atmosphere is gonna be off the scale!"

The new event announcement came shortly after the cancellation of traditional Scottish favourite T in the Park, due to the appearance of pesky ospreys in Perthshire.

However the man behind the Glasgow gig is keen to point out that TRNSMT is 'not replacing' T.

Geoff Ellis told Newsbeat: "One is an urban, city centre event and the other is a rural camping event." 

Image source, Gett

Belle and Sebastian, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The 1975 are also on the bill and by the looks of it many of you are liking what you see on the poster below.

Image source, Getty Images

It's a good week when we can bring you not one, not two, but three bits of Blondie news.

Earlier this week, we told you about their support slot with Phil Collins at this year's British Summer Time festival in London.

Now, we can share news of a new single and an album.

The new song, Fun - which you can hear below, is taken from their forthcoming 11th studio album Pollinator, due out on 5 May.

The album was recorded at New York studio The Magic Shop - where David Bowie recorded his final album Blackstar - prior to its closure.

It is basically a who's who of collaborators including Sia, Charli XCX, The Smiths’ Johnny Marr and Dev Hynes.

The new single has been co-written by TV On the Radio’s Dave Sitek.

So here you go, have Fun. Quite literally.

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The new release comes 41 years after the band's debut album and singer Debbie Harry called into Chris Evans' Radio 2 Breakfast Show earlier to share her tips on staying fit and healthy after five decades in the music business.

Young bands, sit up and pay attention... your teacher is speaking... 

Morning all.

Like Frightened Rabbit here you made it through January. So congrats, now you can officially start thinking about planning your summer festivals.

...And with that in mind we'll bring you news of three huge headliners at the new one in Scotland and tell you which European one Dizzee Rascal will be headlining.

Plus Blondie are back and we'll have details of a new album and single from Debbie and the gang.

For now though have a gander at yesterday's blog as Pharrell has three new reasons to be Happy and Drake wants you all to love one another more.

Not in that way though...honestly... you guys.