By Mariel Turner
8:14am PDT, Sep 24, 2018
Mac Miller dead at 26 of suspected drug overdose
Mac Miller died at 26 after reportedly overdosing on an unknown drug at his Los Angeles-area home on Sept. 7. The rapper was found unresponsive by a male friend, according to reports, and though an autopsy was completed, results are pending until toxicology test results come in. "He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans," his family said in a statement.
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Paul McCartney scores first No. 1 album in 36 years
On Sept. 7, Paul McCartney landed his first No. 1 album in 36 years when his 18th solo effort, "Egypt Station," debuted in the top spot on the Billboard 200. The Beatles musician's last appearance at No. 1 was in 1982 with his fourth studio album, "Tug of War."
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Drake files lawsuit against woman over allegedly false rape, pregnancy claims
Drake filed a lawsuit against a woman who allegedly used false pregnancy and rape claims to attempt to extort money from him. Laquana Morris, also known by the stage name Layla Lace, claimed that she fell pregnant after hooking up with the rapper in February 2018 and accused Drake of rape when the pregnancy claims were debunked. She is facing accusations of civil extortion, fraud, defamation, abuse of process and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to legal documents filed on Sept. 18 with the Superior Court of California.
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Maroon 5 to perform at 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Maroon 5 will perform during the Super Bowl LII Halftime Show in Atlanta, according to reports released on Sept. 19. The NFL has not yet confirmed the news, but reports claim the band will indeed be headlining. Their performance would follow a number of superstar acts who've taken the field in recent years including Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Coldplay and Katy Perry.
John Legend makes history with EGOT win
John Legend made history on Sept. 10 when he won his first Emmy at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards — officially achieving EGOT status. The singer, 39, became one of the youngest EGOT winners ever and the first African-American man to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.
Olivia Newton-John reveals third cancer diagnosis
Australian singer Olivia Newton-John revealed that her latest cancer battle — she's fighting a recurrence of the disease in her lower spine — is actually her third, as she chose not to publicly disclose in 2013 that the breast cancer she first battled in 1992 had resurfaced in her shoulder that year. "I thought, 'It's my life,' and I just decided to keep it to myself," the "Grease" alum explained to Australia's "Sunday Night" program on Sept. 9.
Nicki Minaj says fight with Cardi B was "mortifying and humiliating"
Nicki Minaj opened up about her New York Fashion Week fight with Cardi B while hosting her Apple Music show, "Queen Radio," on Sept. 10. The rapper called Cardi's shoe-throwing incident — which occurred on Sept. 7 at the Harper's Bazaar Icons party — "mortifying and humiliating," especially considering it occurred in front of "upper echelon people who have their lives together."
Carrie Underwood calls out sexism in country music radio
Carrie Underwood opened up about the lack of radio play for women in country music while chatting on the "Women Want to Hear Women" podcast on Sept. 3. "I think about all the little girls that are sitting at home saying, 'I want to be a country music singer.' What do you tell them, you know? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, 'Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it,' when that's probably not the case right now," Carrie explained. "I see so many girls out there busting their rear ends and so many guys out there where some new guy has a No. 1 and I'm like, 'Well, good for you, that's great, but who are you?'"
Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan died by accidental drowning in hotel bathtub
Dolores O'Riordan died in the bathtub of her London hotel room in January from accidental drowning after excessively drinking, a September inquest revealed. Toxicology reports indicate that the Cranberries singer's blood alcohol content was over four times the legal limit to drive when she died on Jan. 15.
Ty Dolla $ign arrested after drugs found in van
Rapper Ty Dolla $ign was arrested on Sept. 5 after police found cocaine and marijuana in a van transporting him and his entourage. The 33-year-old music star was en route to an Atlanta concert when authorities pulled over the vehicle around 5 p.m. Ty and six others were arrested at the scene, but the passengers are not expected to be charged, according to The Blast.
American Music Awards nominees announced
The 2018 American Music Awards nominees were announced during a special YouTube event in Los Angeles on Sept. 12. Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello and Cardi B are among the top nominees this year with nods ranging from album of the year to favorite female artist. "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross will host the ceremony live on Oct. 9.
Nick Carter will not be charged following female pop star's rape allegation
Nick Carter will not face charges after being accused of rape by Dream singer Melissa Schuman, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office announced on Sept. 11, citing an expired statute of limitations. Melissa filed a police report against the Backstreet Boys singer in February, accusing him of sexual assault back in 2003 when she was 18 and he was in his early 20s. Nick has vehemently denied her accusations.
CMT to honor all-female artists during "Artists of the Year" special
CMT will be honoring only female artists during its annual "Artists of the Year" special, according to a Sept. 11 announcement. "In this monumental year for women, dedicating one of the biggest nights in the genre to applaud female country artists not only solidifies our commitment, but we hope will spark a much needed change in the industry," CMT Senior Vice President Leslie Frame said. Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town and Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott are the intended honorees on the program, which airs Oct. 17.
George Strait's longtime drummer killed in car accident
George Strait's longtime drummer, Mike Kennedy, died in a car accident in Lebanon, Tennessee, the band announced on Sept. 2. The 59-year-old musician was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, which occurred on Aug. 30. "Hard to put into words how much Mike's passing has affected us all. Our hearts are broken," George said of his bandmate of 30 years.
