...and the winner of the slickest musical medley of the day so far goes to Alfie Boe.

Check out Michael Ball's mate swinging solo this time in a taste of his forthcoming record, As Time Goes By, above.

As Alfie plays us off today, scroll down for Lorde saying Kanye nicked her floating box idea, Simon Cowell insisting he's never fallen out with Little Mix and musicians including Sir Macca paying tribute to Marvel creator Stan Lee.

Plus a new video from the hotly-tipped Mahalia and Kojey Radical, the Spice Girls' new favourite, Jess Glynne, in the Live Lounge and a Newbie Tuesday couple who are making Americana music in their south London kitchen.

See you tomorrow with more.

Finally today, it's the Carpool that everybody has been waiting for as Quavo, Takeoff and Offset join James in his imaginary celeb world where the rich and famous share a lift to work.

It's a case of 'if you've got it, flaunt it" as they reveal they are travelling with 170 grand in cash - perhaps for emergency snacks, petrol, that kind of thing.

Mercifully, James doesn't spend much time rapping and they even have a singalong to Whitney Houston.

The full video will be available tomorrow.

Sir Paul McCartney has bid "a fond farewell" to the Marvel Comics mastermind.

Posting on his own website, external, the Beatles legend wrote Lee will be "sadly missed."

He went on to describe how the two of them had come up with an idea for a superhero whose power was playing the bass.

Sounds familiar actually.

"He came over to my office and we sat around for a while chatting about comic books and my admiration for his work," wrote Paul.

He added: "He had a great sense of humour and I must say the idea of becoming a guitar wielding superhero in one of his comic books was very appealing."

Scroll down for more musical tributes to the man from the likes of Gene Simmons, Thundercat and Rob Zombie.

Image source, Getty Images

YouTube has revealed the top 10 artists it expects will hit the big time next year.

Singer Mahalia has topped its first ever Ones To Watch list.

Rapper Kojey Radical also features and you can scroll down today's MNL for a new video from their latest single together.

Jade Bird and former Newbie Tuesday artist Sam Fender also feature on the list.

Nineteen-year-old Mahalia said: "This recognition means so much.

"I basically learnt how to play so much of what I know on the guitar from watching people on YouTube."

The channel came up with the list after looking at each artists' video views and subscribers, as well as the time spent watching their videos.

Read more

BBC Radio 1

Earlier, we promised you all the singer was heading into the Live Lounge and you can see above that we weren't lying.

Jess and her band covered Calvin Harris and Sam Smith's summer house banger in a stripped-back stylee.

The full video will be up on the Radio 1 YouTube channel soon.

Right after they've tidied the room for the arrival of Lewis Capaldi tomorrow.

Read more: Live Lounge Month – See Who's Playing In 2018!

The half men-half beard Texas rockers have announced three shows in Europe to mark their 50th anniversary as a band.

“The beards are, perhaps, a bit longer, but nothing much else has changed and we hope to keep it that way," guitarist and vocalist Billy F. Gibbons told Loudersound, external.

Australian musician Jimmy Barnes is the support act for the London show on 12 July.

Kev Geoghegan
Arts and entertainment reporter

Sonny & Cher, Jay Z and Beyonce, Johnny Cash and June Carter...

There are loads of musician couples who have successfully navigated the tricky waters of being creatively and romantically intertwined.

Now, add south-London based Ferris & Sylvester to that list. Formerly solo artists in their own right, Issy Ferris and Archie Sylvester now make blues and folk-tinged Americana from the kitchen of their flat.

"We met in a bar in Camden, we both used to play there and I went to see Issy under duress because a mate wanted to see her because he fancied her," explains Archie.

"That's how it started, I was there as a wing man and I did a pretty good job, maybe not in his opinion, *but we're still mates."

*We only have Archie's word for this.

"I loved her lyrics and voice," he continues, "and I really like the honesty in her writing and I suggested we do some writing together."

Issy adds: "When we came together, I was really into folk and Archie was into blues and we've now got to a blend of genres, a tinge of country but also soul music.

Their first song together was Making Me Ill, which the band still occasionally perform as an encore at their live shows.

"We wanted to write a twisted love song, it's an out and out blues song," says Archie.

This was in 2016 and they bought the results of their writing sessions to super-producer Martin Glover, known as Youth. He's best known for his work with The Verve on Urban Hymns.

"He said 'I love this', and we said, 'OK, that's great.'"

Youth signed them to his publishing company and they recorded their debut EP, The Yellow Line, at his studio in Spain. Their singles included the Beautiful South-sounding Better in Yellow (above).

Earlier this year, they released their Made in Streatham EP.

"We didn't know what to call it," says Archie. "We literally recorded it in our kitchen, we hired in some mics and stuff on a very limited budget.

"You should have seen it, we had a gazebo in the kitchen and sound insulation on a net on top of it so we could sort of control the reverb.

"I don't know if it made any difference but our housemate was quite surprised."

After a summer supporting the likes of Eric Clapton and Robert Plant as well as playing the main stage at Wilderness Festival and last weekend's BBC Music Introducing Live, external, Ferris & Sylvester have now shared their latest single, Burning River, inspired by the pair’s recent writing trips to Iceland.

The track was produced by Michael Rendall, whose job is not just to help make the band sound great but apparently to keep their relationship in check.

"We argue a lot but only because we're passionate about the way the songs sound," says Archie, "and if we have a different idea about it we'll put our point across strongly."

And everything is pointing towards an album.

"We listen to music all the time, we like to listen to albums from start to finish," says Issy, "seeing how an artists goes about doing that.

"We've been in the studio most of the summer, we wanted to maintain the ethos of Made in Streatham but make a live record and do the songs justice."

Archie adds: "We want to do what we would have done if we knew how to, with the Streatham EP.

"We must have some something right because we've been amazed by the reaction that it got.

"I don't know if it sounds arrogant because I don't mean it like that but we want to make it better because the next one has to be better."

Read Newbie Tuesday #52: Weslee: The band with big first-ever gig

Variety

Image source, Getty Images

The German edition of the magazine is standing by an article it published, in which the famed Italian composer Enio Morricone attacked US director Quentin Tarantino for making "trash".

The pair worked together on The Hateful Eight, which won Morricone an Oscar in 2016.

In this month's edition, Playboy - quoting from an interview in June - said the composer called QT "a cretin".

"He only steals from others and puts that stuff together in a new way. None of that is original."

On Monday, Morricone denied making the comments or even giving the interview and said he had instructed his lawyers.

Now, in a statement, the magazine said the conversation took place "on June 30, 2018, at his estate in Rome".

"We also cannot understand that parts of the published statements were apparently not found to have been accurate,” it added.

Read more, external

Image source, Getty Images

The 78-year-old former Beatles drummer/singer will hit the road again next year with a little help from his all star friends.

No wait, make that All Starr.

The tour, which features Colin Hay, Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie and Hamish Stuart, will celebrate 30 years of the All Starr Band

The original (and ever-changing) band began life in 1989 when Ringo went out with Joe Walsh, Nils Lofgren, Dr. John, Billy Preston, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Clarence Clemons and Jim Keltner.

No UK dates as yet.

Ringo marked the anniversary re-release of The White Album - or as he jokingly calls it 'light album' - by posting this classic pic of The Fab Four, alongside his usual many emojis.

He's taken to the smart phone like a fish to water.

Last week it emerged that the girl group were to leave the music mogul's Syco label, after Cowell apparently said he would no longer work with their management group.

Cowell, however, has apparently told The Sun newspaper that it's nothing to do with the girls themselves and that he'll meet them this week so they can hear it from the horse's mouth.

Simon said: "Everyone's like, 'There must have been something massive and that's why it collapsed'.

"Well, I can show you all the correspondence between me and the girls over the years, there's never been an instance when we've fallen out."

Image source, Getty Images

He added: "As I said in my email to them, I stand by the fact they are the hardest working bunch of girls I've ever worked with. They deserve everything they've got.

Check out the Mix performing new track, Woman Like Me, at Radio 1's Teen Awards last month, above.

The nicest man in rock 'n' roll is at it again.

The Foo Fighters frontman brought his Backbeat BBQ to treat a group of firefighters tackling the Woolsey Fire in Los Angeles.

At least 42 people are known to have died in the state's deadliest wildfire, which has also claimed the homes of music stars like Neil Young and Kevin Parker.

Firestation68 on Instagram posted the above pic alongside the caption: "It was awesome to get a visit tonight from Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters.

"He also treated us to some of his own Backbeat BBQ.

"Thanks Dave! It was excellent!"

Not a bad review.

Singer/guitarist/drummer and now head chef. Is there anything that Dave can't do?

The singer, who will support the Spice Girls on their upcoming tour, is the latest of a glut of stars tp perform for Live Lounge Month.

Jess follows Swedish pop star Zara Larsson and you can tune in live from midday on Radio 1.

Zara said she "had the best time" covering Khalid and Normani and you can listen back now.

In light of last week's biggest pop news story, surely Jess has to perform a Spicy little number?

Richard Ashcroft has been announced as the main headliner for next summer's Neighbourhood Weekender in Warrington.

The festival will see Richard head back to his North West roots to perform on the same bill as fellow headliner George Ezra, Primal Scream, The Vaccines and more.

Check out the full poster for the event, which takes place on 25/26 May 2019, above.

Meanwhile back in Richard's adopted home city of London, Bon Iver will headline the All Points East festival on Sunday 2 June.

The singer-songwriter - aka Justin Vernon - will be joined by the likes of John Grant, First Aid Kit and Mac DeMarco.

You can remind yourself of his alternative songwriting skills below.

Tickets for both of the above events go on sale on Friday.

The rising British R&B star has shared the video for her latest single, One Night Only, which features another rising star, rapper Kojey Radical.

It's all about the dual narrative following a one-night stand.

Mahalia - surrounded by a group of her real-life friends - sings:

See, you're lucky to be / With somebody like me / Baby I'm a queen.

Kojo's character, views the situation differently, of course.

“This is my favourite video yet." she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Moz has described reports he was attacked towards the end of his gig in San Diego at the weekend as "absolute crap".

As we told you yesterday, the former Smiths singer had to curtail his encore after fans rushed the stage while he was belting out his 1988 solo hit Everyday is Like Sunday.

His manager denied there was any malicious intent to the stage invasion, now Big Mouth, external himself has hit out at reports by a certain US publication.

In a statement on his own website, external, he wrote: “The only trouble at San Diego were the fictitious reports by TMZ that I had been attacked.

"This is absolute crap.

“TMZ, alas, live exclusively in a world of their own, and certain sections of the press seem enraged that there is nothing negative to report.”

Image source, Getty Images

Kanye's first live performance alongside rapping buddy Kid Cudi this weekend looked suspiciously familiar to a relatively recent performance by Lorde.

Well, that is according to the Kiwi singer herself.

The pair were displayed above the LA crowd in a floating perspex box, a bit of stagecraft performed by Lorde at Coachella back in summer 2017.

On her Instagram story, she compared images of the two sets accompanied by a brilliantly backhanded compliment to Ye.

“I’m proud of the work I do," she wrote, "and it’s flattering when other artists feel inspired by it, to the extent that they choose to try it on themselves.

You can scroll down this page to see Kanye playing in said box for yourself.

In his defence it's not a million miles away from the glass box that magician David Blaine was suspended above London in in 2003, is it?

Beyonce also performed in a grounded box as part of her Formation World Tour in 2016.

What's that old saying? "Talent borrows. Genius Steals."

Image source, Instagram/Lorde

Tributes are being paid to American writer and former president of Marvel Comics Stan Lee, who has died at the age of 95.

In 1961, Lee created The Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics, and went on to create titles including Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk.

The world of music has been giving thanks to the writer too, with Kiss's Gene Simmons saying he would be "sadly missed".

"Thank you for inspiring me to think and dream big," he wrote.

Alice Cooper - who once recorded a gag award speech with Stan, external - added: "A great man, friend and creator whose legacy will live on forever. Thank you, Stan Lee. Rest in peace."

Multi-instrumentalist Thundercat was interviewed in a comic book store by his local TV station under his real name Stephen Bruner.

He said part of the joy of the comic book storylines, created by Stan, was down to the messiness of superheroes' lives.

"Any time things got weird you could look at Spider-Man and say, 'Well, you're not Spider-Man, things aren't that bad.'

Metal musician-turned-film director Rob Zombie (above) wrote on Instagram; "Marvel comics was one of the best things I remember about being a kid.

"Thanks for everything. What would we have done without you?"

Frankly we can't believe it's taken this long for the Robster to finally announce a residency in his spiritual home.

The singer and X Factor judge is performing six-dates at Wynn Las Vegas in March 2019 and is "beyond excited" about the dates.

"To follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest entertainers of all time is a dream come true - I can't wait," he said.

Tickets are on sale from Friday.

Check out Robbie channeling his inner Nat King Cole in the clip above, taken from his show at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Previous acts to perform more lengthy Vegas residencies of recent years have included Celine Dion, Sir Elton John and Britney Spears.

Image source, Getty Images

In a move similar to parents addressing their kids' relentless demands, Ye has essentially told the world 'it will be ready when it's ready, alright?'

Yandhi was initially meant to drop in September but failed to arrive and then later got pushed back to a 23 November release after a jaunt to Uganda to finish the record.

Now, it's anyone's guess.

“I’ll announce the release date once it’s done," tweeted the rapper, after he returned to the live stage alongside Kid Cudi.

"Thank you for understanding."

Kanye and Cudi released a joint LP, Kids See Ghosts, earlier in the year and it seems the performance has made Ye rethink his second solo release of 2018.

“After performing again, I realise the new album I’ve been working on isn’t ready yet."

The rappers made their first public appearance this weekend at Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles.

The event was curated by Tyler, the Creator.

As you can see below, Ye and Cudi performed in a perspex box suspended above the crowd.

Many fans loved it. Others, like Lorde were less crazy about the design.

Stay tuned to Music News LIVE and we'll tell you exactly why very shortly.

Hello again guys and welcome back to Music News LIVE.

Like us, the returning Spice Girls (above) were up bright and breezy and ready to attack the day.

If you wanna be our readers / You've gotta get with our trends, which today include:

• Kanye postponing the release of Yandhi (again)
• Lorde accuses the Chicago rapper and his mate Kid Cudi of creative theft
• Morrissey calls reports he was attacked by fans "crap"
• Simon Cowell insisting he has never fallen out with Little Mix

• A Newbie Tuesday act who produce Americana from a kitchen in south London

OK, slam it to the left, shake it to the right or jig it to the front - whichever you prefer - and we'll be back shortly with all of the above and much more besides.