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Most popular wedding song revealed

A classic 1980s hit has been crowned the most popular wedding song according to a recent study. According to the new research by Breezit, an online wedding vendor search tool that collates data, Whitney Houston’s pop ballad I Wanna Dance With Somebody is the most popular song for couples tying the knot. The 1987 hit, which was on Houston’s second studio album, ‘Whitney’, appeared 484 times across the 2,000 wedding-themed Spotify playlists the company poured through, which contained a total of 49,091 songs. Among thousands of playlists, I Wanna Dance With Somebody featured on more than 24 per cent of those nuptial-centric compilations. Coming in second on the list of most popular wedding songs was ABBA’s 1976 worldwide hit Dancing Queen. “Music plays an incredibly important role in wedding celebrations, and it’s fascinating to see which songs are still hailed as wedding classics, even years after their initial release,” Arturas Asakavicius, co-founder and CEO of Breezit, told <a href="https://www.brides.com/all-time-most-popular-wedding-song-new-study-8733497">Brides</a>. “Wedding playlists can help create lasting memories” he added, “capturing both the joy of the dance floor and the romance of walking down the aisle. Certain songs have become intertwined with the celebration of a wedding, which is why some have become timeless classics for many couples’ big day.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Music

Coldplay bring out Hollywood cameo for Aussie show

Coldplay have shocked the crowd at their Melbourne concert by bringing out a 1980s movie legend to the stage for a surprise cameo. Karate Kid Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during the show to help the band perform their song The Karate Kid, from their new album Moon Music. Macchio, 62, lip-synched to frontman Chris Martin’s vocals, before the pair embraced warmly in front of the crowd at the sold-out gig. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> NEWS • Karate Kid Actor Ralph Macchio took to the stage during today’s show in Melbourne to shoot the music video for "The Karate Kid". | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ColdplayMelbourne?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ColdplayMelbourne</a> 🇦🇺 He lip synced to Chris's voice 🥋🎤 🎥<a href="https://twitter.com/coldplaybrasil?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coldplaybrasil</a> <a href="https://t.co/bWP1YN79G3">pic.twitter.com/bWP1YN79G3</a> — Coldplay United Kingdom (@ColdplayUK_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColdplayUK_/status/1851967580363255983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote> Macchio became a household name in the 1980s for playing Daniel LaRusso in three Karate Kid films, and more recently has reprised the iconic role in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. According to a Coldplay fan account on social media, the footage of the actor’s on-stage cameo will be used as a music video when The Karate Kid is released as a single. The famous actor had earlier been spotted in the audience at Coldplay’s Wednesday show at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, having flown from New York to attend the gig. Image credits: X/Sonia Moskowitz Gordon/ZUMA/Shutterstock Editorial

Music

Music and dementia: researchers are still making discoveries about how songs can help sufferers

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-atkinson-1288605">Rebecca Atkinson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ming-hung-hsu-2215063">Ming-Hung Hsu</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Music is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. Whether it’s lifting our spirits, pushing us to run faster or soothing us to sleep, we can all <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713818/full">recognise its power</a>. So it’s no wonder it is increasingly being used in medical treatment. As well as proving very useful in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3863265/">cancer treatment</a>, managing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590022000153">chronic pain</a> and even helping the brain <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00245/full">recover after a stroke</a>, researchers have also been making great strides in using music to help patients with dementia. It reduces patients’ <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003477/full">anxiety and depression</a>, and <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(23)00401-7/fulltext">improves wellbeing</a> both for them and their carers <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/individual-music-therapy-for-depression-randomised-controlled-trial/A1CD72904929CECCB956F4F3B09605AF">by enhancing</a> everyone’s ability to adapt and cope with adversity or stress. <a href="https://www.bamt.org">Music therapy</a> in the form of playing, singing or listening to music can also have a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361309105660">positive effect</a> on cognitive function – particularly for <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1472-6882-10-39">older adults</a> either with dementia or memory issues. So why does music appear to have such a powerful effect for people with dementia? <h2>Music and the brain</h2> About a decade ago, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053811911013000">researchers discovered that</a> when people listened to music, multiple areas of the brain were involved in processing it. These included the limbic (which processes emotions and memory), cognitive (involved with perception, learning and reaction) and motor areas (responsible for voluntary movement). This challenged preconceptions that music was processed more narrowly in the brain – and helped explain why it has such a unique neurological impact. Not only that, research has shown that music might help <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987708002880">regenerate the brain</a> and its connections. Many <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about-dementia/causes/">causes of dementia</a> centre around cell death in the brain, raising the possibility that music could help people with dementia by mending or strengthening damaged neural connections and cells. It’s not just any music that has a regenerative effect on the brain, though. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00103/full">Familiar and favourite music</a> has been shown to have the biggest impact on the way we feel, and is closely linked with memory and emotions. This is because listening to our favourite songs <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.2726">releases feel-good hormones</a> that give us a sense of pleasure. Curated music playlists of favourite music could be the key in helping us deal with the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10298649211030318">stress of everyday life</a>. This is relevant to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia because researchers have discovered that parts of the brain linked with <a href="https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/138/8/2438/330016">musical memories</a> are less affected by these conditions than other areas of the brain. This explains why memories and experiences that are linked to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2018.19">favourite music</a> are often preserved for people with such conditions. Listening to music can also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34346261/">help manage</a> their experiences of distress, agitation and “<a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/symptoms/sundowning">sundowning</a>” – where a person is more confused in the afternoon and evening. In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197457224002209?utm_campaign=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&utm_medium=email&utm_acid=224973760&SIS_ID=&dgcid=STMJ_219742_AUTH_SERV_PA&CMX_ID=&utm_in=DM500444&utm_source=AC_">small study</a> conducted by us and our colleagues at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, we showed just how great of an effect listening to music can have for people with dementia. We found that when people with dementia repeatedly listened to their favourite music, their heart rate and movements changed in direct response. This showed that people’s physical responses were affected by musical features like rhythm and arrangement. Their heart rate also changed when they sang along to music, or when they began reminiscing about old memories or stories while listening to a song or thinking about the music. These changes are important because they show how music affects movement, emotions and memory recall. Studies have also shown that during and after listening to music, people with dementia <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/7/1103">experienced less agitation</a>, aggression and anxiety, and their general mood was improved. They even needed less medication when they had regular music sessions. Other researchers have even begun testing the effects of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/gps.4721?casa_token=VufeKQP7aNsAAAAA%3AMSOgiwUQYKqmmrLsUFv9glmSnc5BMxoqeMmmt3HX4BJX2Fs2UKeXjnN2850o1Umz0j1NvmrpQ3W3Pw">music training programmes</a> to support cognition for people with dementia. Results have been promising so far – with adults in the study showing improved executive functioning (problem solving, emotion regulation and attention) compared to those who took part in just physical exercise. So, music is likely to continue to be a useful medical treatment for people with dementia. But based on what we know so far, it’s important that it comes from the patient’s own music collection – and is used alongside other management techniques such as using drugs that can slow the progression of dementia or help manage symptoms to support self-care and wellbeing.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239446/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-atkinson-1288605">Rebecca Atkinson</a>, Researcher in Music Therapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ming-hung-hsu-2215063">Ming-Hung Hsu</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Music Therapy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/anglia-ruskin-university-1887">Anglia Ruskin University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/music-and-dementia-researchers-are-still-making-discoveries-about-how-songs-can-help-sufferers-239446">original article</a>.

Mind

Why are the violins the biggest section in the orchestra?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-case-1449631">Laura Case</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> As the largest section of the orchestra, sitting front and centre of the stage performing memorable melodies, it’s easy for violinists to steal the limelight. Ask any violinist why there are so many in an orchestra, and we’ll often reply, tongue-in-cheek: “obviously it’s because we’re the best”. The real answer is a bit more complex, and combines reasons both logistical and historical. <h2>How we got the modern orchestra</h2> During the Baroque period between around 1600 and 1750, the composition of the orchestra was not standardised, and often used instruments based on availability. Monteverdi’s opera L'Orfeo, which premiered in 1607, is one of the earliest examples of a composer specifying the desired <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Orfeo">instrumentation</a>. The size of the orchestra also varied. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for and worked with ensembles of up to 18 players in Germany. At Palazzo Pamphili in Rome, Corelli directed ensembles of 50–80 musicians – and, on one notable occasion to celebrate the coronation of Pope Innocent XII, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arcangelo-Corelli">an ensemble of 150 string players</a>. The modern-day violin was also developed around this time, and eventually replaced the instruments of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viol">viol</a> family. The violin has remained a staple member of the orchestra ever since. Music of this period was created on a smaller scale than much of the repertoire we hear today, and often placed a strong focus on string instruments. As the orchestra became more standardised, members of the woodwind family appeared, including the oboe, bassoon, recorder and transverse flute. During the classical period from around 1730 to 1820, orchestral performances moved from the royal courts into the public domain, and their size continued to grow. Instruments were organised into sections, and bowed strings formed the majority. Composers began to use a wider range of instruments and techniques. Beethoven wrote parts for the early double bassoon, piccolo flute, trombone (which was largely confined to church music beforehand), and individual double bass parts (where previously they had often doubled the cello part). During the romantic period of the 19th century, composer Hector Berlioz, author of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatise_on_Instrumentation">Treatise on Instrumentation and Modern Orchestration</a> (1841), further developed the symphony orchestra by adding instruments such as the tuba, cor anglais and bass clarinet. By the end of the 19th century, many orchestras reached the size and proportions we recognise today, with works that require more than 100 musicians, such as Wagner’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zMi2ncdrF4">Ring Cycle</a>. <h2>What’s size got to do with it?</h2> As increasing numbers of performers and instruments became standard in orchestral repertoire, ensembles became louder, and more string players were needed to balance the sound. The violin is a comparatively quiet instrument, and a solo player cannot be heard over the power of the brass. Having violinists at the front of the stage also helps the sound reach the audience’s ears without competing to be heard over the louder instruments. The typical layout of the orchestra has not always been standard. First violinists (who often carry the melody) and second violinists (who typically play a supportive role) used to sit opposite each other on stage. US conductor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_Stokowski">Leopold Stokowski</a> rearranged the position of the first and second violinists during the 1920s so they sat next to each other on the left of the stage. This change meant the voices of each string section were arranged from high to low across the stage. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mohRnauSkdY?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> This change was widely adopted and has become a standard setup for the modern orchestra. Stokowski is known for experimenting with the layout of the orchestra. He once placed the entire woodwind section at the front of the orchestra ahead of the strings, receiving widespread criticism from the audience and musicians. The board of the Philadelphia Orchestra <a href="https://www.courtneylewis.com/blog/2017/04/musical-chairs-why-orchestras-sit-the-way-they-do/">allegedly said</a> the winds “weren’t busy enough to put on a good show”. <h2>Sound, texture and timbre</h2> String players do not need to worry about lung capacity or breaking for air. As such, violinists can perform long melodic passages with fast finger work, and our bows allow for seemingly endless sustain. Melodies written for strings are innumerable, and often memorable. Having several violinists play together creates a specific sound and texture that is distinct from a solo string player and the other sections of the orchestra. Not only is the sound of every violin slightly different, the rate of each string’s vibration and the movement of each player’s bow varies. The result is a rich and full texture that creates a lush effect. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3u-unvYedx8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Today, symphony orchestras are expected to perform an incredibly diverse range of repertoire from classical to romantic, film scores to newly commissioned works. Determining the number of violinists who will appear in any given piece is a question of balance that will change depending on the repertoire. A Mozart symphony might require fewer than ten wind or brass players, who would be drowned out by a full string section. However, a Mahler symphony requires more than 30 non-string players – meaning far more string players are needed to balance out this sound. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vOvXhyldUko?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Room for experimentation</h2> Notable exceptions to the orchestra’s standard setup include Charles Ives’ 1908 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-d8JSZE2Bc">The Unanswered Question</a> for string orchestra, solo trumpet and wind quartet spread around the room; Stockhausen’s 1958 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34_SfP7ZCXA">Gruppen, pour trois orchestres</a>, in which three separate orchestras perform in a horseshoe shape around the audience; and Pierre Boulz’s 1981 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQE5TYnD58k">Répons</a> featuring 24 performers on a stage surrounded by the audience, who are in turn surrounded by six soloists. Despite experimentation, the placement and number of instruments in an orchestra has remained relatively standard since the 19th century. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u-d8JSZE2Bc?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> Many aspects of the traditional orchestra’s setup make sense. However, many of the orchestra’s habits come down to tradition and perhaps unconscious alignment with “just the way things are done”.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236596/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-case-1449631">Laura Case</a>, Lecturer in Musicology, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-the-violins-the-biggest-section-in-the-orchestra-236596">original article</a>. </div>

Music

Readers response: What is one country you'll never go to?

When it comes to travelling, everyone has a list of places they are dying to go to. In the same token, lots of travellers have placed they have no interest of ever seeing. We asked our readers what country they will never go to, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Kathy Yeo - Saudi Arabia or any other country where women have few rights and are treated as possessions. Irene Dodds - USA. Jim Cormack - Indonesia, in particular Bali. Roz Eberhard-Swan - After 132 countries, I can say that I will never return to Russia, China & Cuba. And will now add Afghanistan to that list. Sadly, the USA also is now out of control with their gun laws and politics so probably unlikely to go back there either. Carole Harris - Russia. I have been and wanted to go back, but never will now. Kath Wilkinson - Afghanistan. Their treatment of women should turn anyone off! Karen Ambrose - Probably America due to their pathetic gun laws. Debra Joy - Spain. I'll never go while they still do bull fighting. Disgusting and abhorrent. George Quinn - Egypt. Never again! After 35 countries, it's the only place I never felt safe. Janice Brigg - Bali. Never been here and it is of no interest to us. There are so many other beautiful other places to visit. So far travelled to 58 counties. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

"Best country in the world" crowned for the third year in a row

The best countries in the world have been ranked according to a new survey, with Switzerland taking out the top spot for the third year in a row. According to new data released by <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/rankings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US News & World's report</a> in its annual Best Countries rankings, the small European nation has been dubbed the "best country in the world" for 2024. Among the top 25 list, 15 European countries nabbed spots, east and southeast Asia claimed four spots, and the Middle East took two spots, with North America and Oceania taking two spots each. The ranking was made based on the views of 17,000 people, who assessed how well each nation ranked on categories including power, openness for business and cultural influence. At the top of the ranking was Switzerland, which has been at the top of the table nearly every year since 2017, with the report saying the country was "bolstered by notable performances in three of the heaviest-weighted subrankings: quality of life, entrepreneurship and social purpose." Japan claimed second spot on the list for the first time, climbing four spots from last year's ranking, for its high rankings in the entrepreneurship and movers categories. Australia came in fifth place this year (down from fourth in 2023), ranking high in quality of life and social purpose, while New Zealand came in ninth place (down from eighth in 2023). Check out the top 25 best countries list below. 1. Switzerland 2. Japan 3. United Stated of America 4. Canada 5. Australia 6. Sweden 7. Germany 8. United Kingdom 9. New Zealand 10. Denmark 11. Norway 12. France 13. The Netherlands 14. Singapore 15. Italy 16. China 17. United Arab Emirates 18. South Korea 19. Spain 20. Finland 21. Austria 22. Iceland 23. Belgium 24. Ireland 25. Qatar Image credits: Shutterstock

International Travel

Fans react to band's history-making reunion

Music fans around the world have rejoiced as legendary rock band Oasis announced their highly-anticipated reunion tour. The band, known for their 1990s hits Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova, disbanded in 2009 after founding members and brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher had a falling out. Since then, fans have been begging the musicians to abandon their solo side projects and reunite the band, who were responsible for many number one hits in the late 90s and early 2000s. On Tuesday, those prayers were answered as the band announced they would be reuniting for 14 shows around the UK and Ireland next year. The band will be playing in Cardiff in Wales, Scotland's capital of Edinburgh, and Dublin in Ireland, while also playing four shows at London's Wembley Stadium as well as four shows in their hometown of Manchester. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_KgvakNTN7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_KgvakNTN7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Oasis (@oasis)</a> </div> </blockquote> “This is it, this is happening,” they confirmed, much to the delight of fans. "The stars have aligned. The great wait is over." The announcement of the tour sent music fans into overdrive, with their tour announcement post on Instagram raking up almost 2 million likes in under 24 hours. Fans, music critics and celebrities were quick to comment on the news, while many media outlets assessed that tickets for the concerts were certain to be some of the most sought after tickets in live music history. While many fans shared their excitement, a lot of social media was quickly awash with people suggesting the tour could be at risk considering Noel and Liam’s tumultuous relationship. “Surely anyone who buys an Oasis ticket for any night apart from the opening night is taking a bit of a risk,” remarked one, with a second adding: “Even opening night is a risk!” “Assume the gig isn’t happening until it starts, and even then keep your fingers crossed,” teased another. The Gallagher brothers have been embroiled in a fiery sibling rivalry ever since their rise to global fame in the 90s, with their falling out coming to a head the night before a concert in Paris in 2009, when Noel announcing he was quitting the band for good. “It is with some sadness and great relief … I quit Oasis tonight,” he said in a statement at the time. “People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.” Image credits: Instagram/JM Enternational/Shutterstock Editorial

Music

Country boycotts Paris Games after being stripped of medal

The prime minister of Romania has vowed to boycott the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics over what he described as “flagrant injustice” to two of the country’s gymnasts. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has called out the "scandalous situation" surrounding Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Voinea, who both missed out on medals after the women's floor routines. Barbosu was initially believed to have won bronze and was beginning to celebrate the win, when the judges then adjusted the difficulty of American gymnast Jordan Chiles' routine, bumping her up into third place and sending the Romanian gymnasts into fourth and fifth position. The president of the country’s gymnastics federation Carmencita Constantin told AFP she would file two complaints to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after both Romanian gymnasts left the competition in tears. Voinea, 17, who filed an unsuccessful appeal of her own, complained she had been unfairly penalised. Fellow Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci chimed in on the controversy, urging a review of Voinea’s routine, after she claimed the athlete didn’t step outside the floor surface, an act she had been punished for. It comes as heartbreaking new footage of Barbosu’s medal being taken away emerged, after the final scores were updated and resulted in her coming in fourth place. As a result, the Romanian gymnastics team, who qualified for the first time in 12 years, left Paris without a medal after coming in seventh in the team competition. Prime Minister Ciolacu shared his upset over the loss, saying the athletes were treated "dishonourably" and would be boycotting the closing ceremony in protest. “I have decided not to attend the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics after the scandalous situation in gymnastics, where our athletes were treated in an absolutely dishonourable way,” he wrote on Facebook. Romania also sent a letter of protest to the International Gymnastics Federation, after it was revealed that Voinea has now quit gymnastics after the dramatic Olympics loss. Image credits: Daniela Porcelli/SPP/Shutterstock Editorial

Travel Trouble

Brand Olympics: do the famous rings deliver value to host countries?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-greenland-2064">Steven Greenland</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-joseph-gill-1530152">Robert Joseph Gill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> The cost of hosting Paris 2024, the 33rd Olympics, is predicted to be <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-lean-olympics-wont-blow-any-budgets-credit-rating-firm-sp-says-2024-03-11/">more than A$14 billion</a>. So what’s in it for the French? Will this oldest of sporting events shine for them, or as has happened with some previous Olympics, will it prove to be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-07/what-japan-learned-from-olympic-white-elephants/100329488">a massive white elephant</a>? <h2>The power of the five rings</h2> The Olympic brand is <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/the-olympic-brand-maintains-its-global-strength-and-recognition">massively powerful</a> and gives the host nation a global platform to strengthen their international reputation and standing. The Olympic brand heritage goes back 2,800 years to southern Greece, when games were held to honour the Greek god Zeus at Olympia. Starting in 776 BC, these ancient games were held every four years and continued for more than 1,000 years. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VdHHus8IgYA?wmode=transparent&start=11" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The Olympics began as part of a festival honouring Zeus in the rural Greek town of Olympia.</figcaption></figure> The modern Olympics began in 1896 in Athens. Since then, the games have been hosted in 23 cities and 20 countries. Paris 2024 will welcome around 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries <a href="https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/sports">competing in 32 different sports</a>. Around <a href="https://www.euromonitor.com/press/press-releases/nov-2023/olympic-games-2024-set-to-boost-tourism-spending-in-paris-by-up-to-eur4-billion-euromonitor-international">4 billion people will watch on</a> around the globe. The Olympics’ five rings (<a href="https://discover.sportsengineplay.com/olympics/history-of-they-rings#:%7E:text=They%20first%20appeared%20in%201913,to%20accept%20its%20fertile%20rivalries.">created by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin 110 years ago</a>) is one of the most recognised logos on the planet. It represents unity across the five continents (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania). It is this familiarity and <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2018-0324/full/html">positive Olympic brand associations</a> – which include excitement, fairness and being elite – that some argue justifies the billions spent. Host nations hope this Olympic sparkle rubs off on their nation’s reputation – but that’s not always the case. <h2>Benefits of hosting an Olympics</h2> Broadcast rights, sponsorships and advertising from organisations that want to be associated with the Olympic brand can <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/funding">generate huge revenue streams</a>. The Olympic brand adds considerable value for sponsors and advertisers, and there are also benefits that France (and the world) will gain long after the event. Responsible marketing and attracting sponsors that complement Olympic brand values can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0965254X.2023.2230487">promote positive, sustainable attitudes and behaviour</a>. Examples of this include promoting unity, a sense of national pride, and social and health gains from <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-sports-participation-boom-during-or-before-or-after-the-olympics-227773">increased sports participation</a>. The event also generates huge revenue from domestic and international tourism – 15 million spectators are anticipated for Paris 2024. Most are locals and domestic day trippers but <a href="https://www.euromonitor.com/press/press-releases/nov-2023/olympic-games-2024-set-to-boost-tourism-spending-in-paris-by-up-to-eur4-billion-euromonitor-international">around 3 million additional visitors</a> are expected in Paris during the games. Increased infrastructure and updated civil works as a result of the city getting ready for the Olympics provides many lifestyle benefits: a reinvigorated host city can benefit from upgraded transport, accommodation, hospitality, sports facilities and streetscapes. Other significant benefits relate to strengthening the host country’s geographic and cultural brand. For France, this includes reinforcing and promoting many of its registered geographic indicator products that relate mainly to wine, agricultural products and foodstuffs, as well as spirits and beers. Champagne is perhaps the most widely recognised geographic indicator product. It illustrates how connection to its place of origin assures consumers about regional and French cultural values and <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-name-quite-a-lot-if-its-prosecco-parmesan-or-mozzarella-209505">the products’ characteristics and quality</a>. <h2>What about the pitfalls?</h2> Many Olympics have failed to turn a profit, meaning countries and citizens are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02665433.2019.1633948">left to pay off debts</a> for decades after the event (for example, Rio, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/jul/06/40-year-hangover-1976-olympic-games-broke-montreal-canada">Montreal</a>, Beijing and Athens). Also, many cities are left with <a href="https://theconversation.com/looking-back-at-the-olympic-venues-since-1896-are-they-still-in-use-229606">purpose-built infrastructure</a> created specifically for the games but left idle afterwards, including athlete accommodation, aquatic centres and major stadiums. What will determine the success of Paris 2024 and justify the massive investment in hosting the event? <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_m1x5JaC37E?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Is hosting the Olympics worth the investment?</figcaption></figure> The success of the Olympics for the host is often determined by the financial revenue it can generate. The Olympic brand plays a significant role in generating this financial support. However, the brand’s reputation can be tarnished by issues leading up to and during the games, which may reduce the positive impacts. The Olympic brand’s reputation can be affected by issues like: <ul> <li> high-profile athletes and national teams cheating or doping </li> <li> world sporting authorities placing restrictions on competitors <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1143198/restrictions-transgender-paris2024-games">based on gender and status</a> </li> <li> incompatible sponsors jumping on the Olympic bandwagon. For example, manufacturers of harmful products whose negative brand associations could tarnish the Olympic brand, such as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0965254X.2023.2176532">soft drink and alcohol sponsors</a> </li> <li> negative publicity associated with unethical practices of host and participating countries <a href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/sports-politics-brands-volatile-mix-olympic-games/">with human rights issues</a>. This includes others using the event to publicise these </li> <li> politicising the event – including “<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-saudi-arabia-using-sportswashing-to-simply-hide-its-human-rights-abuses-or-is-there-a-bigger-strategy-at-play-208468">sportswashing</a>”, protests, boycotts and image protection, as seen with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13216597.2017.1347101">China</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/kidspost/2021/12/16/us-protest-olympics-is-nothing-new-politics-have-been-mixed-with-sports-decades/">the United States</a>, and <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/declaration-by-the-ioc-against-the-politicisation-of-sport">Russia</a> </li> <li> unforeseeable events – the COVID pandemic delayed the Tokyo games and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/money-money-money-cost-tokyos-pandemic-delayed-olympics-2021-06-10/#:%7E:text=Organisers%20said%20last%20December%20that,has%20risen%20to%20%243%20billion">pushed the cost to A$18 billion</a> </li> <li> other negative associated risks for the host city such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-the-paris-olympics-be-a-terrorist-target-these-three-factors-could-be-key-229110">terrorism</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-is-a-killer-for-outdoor-sporting-events-lets-plan-properly-to-keep-everyone-safe-229998">heat waves</a>, and civil unrest. </li> </ul> <h2>Fingers crossed for France</h2> With close to half the world watching Paris 2024, France’s National Olympic Committee will be anxiously hoping for positive outcomes to ensure a strong return on the A$14 billion invested. But since Sydney 2000, virtually every games host has suffered <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/economi">significant financial blowouts</a>. For their sake, and the Olympics’ reputation, let’s hope the Paris games sparkle - or we may be left with a very limited number of potential future hosts with very deep pockets.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228497/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steven-greenland-2064">Steven Greenland</a>, Professor in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-joseph-gill-1530152">Robert Joseph Gill</a>, Associate Professor in Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> Image credits: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Editorial This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/brand-olympics-do-the-famous-rings-deliver-value-to-host-countries-228497">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Jack Black cancels Tenacious D tour after on-stage Trump comment

Jack Black has cancelled the rest of Tenacious D's Australia and New Zealand tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass’s on-stage joke about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump was widely condemned. Gass was celebrating his 64th birthday on stage at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on Sunday night, just hours after Trump was fired upon at a rally Pennsylvania, when Black presented him with a cake and asked for his birthday wish. “Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass replied. The moment was captured and posted to TikTok where it quickly went viral, even attracting attention from radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/kyle-slaps-comedy-legends-with-lifetime-ban-for-twisted-trump-joke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands</a>, who proposed Tenacious D receive a lifetime ban from touring in Australia. Since the moment garnered online attention, Kyle Gass has been dropped by his talent agency, Greene Talent, with rep Michael Greene telling <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/16/tenacious-d-kyle-gass-dropped-talent-agency-trump-shooting-comment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">TMZ</a> they have parted ways due to the incident. In the hours after the show, Jack Black took to Instagram where he shocked fans by announcing the rest of their tour would be cancelled, as the joke prompted a falling out between the two bandmates. “I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black wrote in a statement. “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.” Gass has since apologised for the joke, saying, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake." “I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement." “I profoundly apologise to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.” Image credits: Reynaud Julien/APS-Medias/ABACA/Shutterstock Editorial/TikTok

Music

How holidaying in developing countries affects local inequality

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-tziamalis-333272">Alexander Tziamalis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuan-wang-1360783">Yuan Wang</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> A few years ago, one of us (Alex) went for a vacation to the Dominican Republic. The motivation was similar to millions of other tourists every year: escape the daily routine, enjoy the sun and beaches, and gather some strength to face another cold winter. Unfortunately, a few things weren’t very conducive to a happy break. The staff at the mammoth hotel were making as little as US$1 (£0.79) for a 12-hour shift. Worse, most of them lived in a shanty town nearby. They had no sewers and no reliable electricity. The hotel also exploited its power over local farmers to procure food exceedingly cheaply. Schools were overcrowded and many children dropped out to work in businesses like these hotels and farms, perpetuating the cycle. This anecdotal picture is corroborated by the country’s economic data. Despite <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=DO">GDP growth</a> frequently above 5% each year, the Dominican Republic suffers from <a href="https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2023/02/17/dominican-republic-shows-a-high-level-of-economic-inequality-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean/">substantial inequality</a>. The wealthiest 1% capture 30% of all income, compared to 18% in the US. But how bad is tourism for inequality in developing countries overall? <a href="https://shura.shu.ac.uk/31942/">Our recent research</a> has sought to answer this, looking at 71 countries around the world. The picture is complicated, but the overall results are not as bleak as you might fear. <h2>Upsides and downsides</h2> Clearly there are pros and cons to tourism. It makes holidaymakers happy while bringing people closer and promoting awareness of other cultures. It empowers communities and provides disadvantaged groups with opportunities, from the local artisan who can sell directly to customers, to women <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/psd/empowering-women-through-tourism-0">who would otherwise</a> be struggling to find work. Tourism sustains a lot of jobs and economic value overall, making it attractive to governments as a way of boosting growth. In 2019 there were a whopping <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/209334/total-number-of-international-tourist-arrivals/#:%7E:text=Despite%20the%20significant%20annual%20increase,lowest%20figure%20recorded%20since%201989">1.5 billion</a> international tourist arrivals around the world. They were serviced by <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268465/number-of-travel-and-tourism-jobs-worldwide/#:%7E:text=Despite%20the%20increase%2C%20the%20number,to%20320%20million%20in%202023.">nearly 300 million</a> travel and tourism workers, and the sector generated <a href="https://wttc.org/research/economic-impact#:%7E:text=In%202022%2C%20the%20Travel%20%26%20Tourism,%2C%20only%2014.1%25%20below%202019.">over 7%</a> of global GDP. On the other hand, tourism can <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/transport-and-tourism/negative-environmental-impacts-of-tourism">degrade the environment</a>. Witness the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes needing to <a href="https://www.machupicchutrek.net/how-many-tourists-visit-machu-picchu-annually/">restrict</a> the number of visitors, for instance, because the site was <a href="https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d2f4fc1c7b314cc8a6c8af466cec0d24">getting damaged</a>. Equally, <a href="https://www.itmustbenow.com/feature/our-big-questions/exploitation-travel-tourism/">tourism is associated</a> with other <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-19/barcelona-bhutan-places-that-limit-tourist-numbers">knock-on effects</a> such as water scarcity, pollution, crime, sex exploitation and destroying tradition. But what about inequality? The tourism industry <a href="https://www.itmustbenow.com/feature/our-big-questions/exploitation-travel-tourism/">is frequently associated</a> with ridiculously low wages, long hours without a break, and unhealthy conditions for live-in staff. Dedicated trade unions often don’t exist, or they’re underpowered and cannot effectively protect workers. Tourism can also distort the economy. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/10/i-wanted-my-children-to-grow-up-here-how-airbnb-is-ruining-local-communities-in-north-wales">In the UK</a> for example, communities in many popular tourist destinations cannot afford to buy a home anymore. Yet when you look at how tourism affects equality overall, the existing academic literature shows conflicting results. A number of studies <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160738316301281#:%7E:text=Findings%20confirm%20that%20tourism%20increases%20income%20inequality%20in%20developing%20economies.&text=The%20squared%20tourism%20revenue%20has%20a%20significant%20negative%20impact%20on%20income%20inequality.&text=Findings%20confirm%20the%20presence%20of%20Kuznets%20curve%20hypothesis.">find that</a> it worsens income inequality, while others <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0047287520954538">find the opposite</a>. If you were wondering about the Dominican Republic, there’s <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0047287518789272#:%7E:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20income,in%20the%20distribution%20of%20wealth.">a study</a> showing that tourism actually has a negligible impact on inequality. <h2>Our findings</h2> Ours is the first study to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13548166231177106">look at the effect</a> of a few potential determining factors to try and gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between tourism and equality. These factors include the country’s level of economic and financial development, inflation rate and government policies seeking to redistribute wealth. Our dataset spans from 1996–2016. We would have ideally looked at even more than 71 countries, but others had to be excluded because good-quality data was unavailable. We found that tourism eased income inequality in lower income countries when it went hand in hand with redistributive policies. <a href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6nbn68M3_toJ:https://dailynews.co.tz/how-tz-could-attract-more-tourists/&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk">Tanzania, for example,</a> gets 17% of its GDP from tourism. This has enabled the country to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8121963/">significantly increase</a> its spending on health, education and infrastructure. In wealthier countries, the opposite was counterintuitively the case: increasing tourism exacerbated inequality when combined with redistributive policies. It may be that in places where education and infrastructure are already at high levels, improving them has less effect on inequality. Or it may be that improving the welfare system reduces workers’ incentive to upskill and seek better paid jobs in other sectors. These possibilities need further investigation. Our analysis also highlighted the importance of financial opportunities such as broad access to bank credit. All countries with more inclusive financial systems comparatively reduced inequality when they brought in more tourists. It might be that financial access enables a broader cross-section of entrepreneurs to set up or expand tourist businesses, with knock-on benefits to their communities. This is bad news for developing countries like India, Brazil South Africa and Barbados, where <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2015/09/14/long-term-finance-shortage-post-2008-crisis-blunts-progress-in-developing-countries">it’s difficult</a> to obtain long-term loan, which usually come with onerous terms. Having said that, the benefits from financial access were more marked in developed countries. In such countries, it may be that this galvanises proportionately more entrepreneurs because they are not being held back to the same extent by other problems like corruption and poor education. When we looked at the effect of inflation, it worsened inequality in richer countries <a href="https://www.niesr.ac.uk/blog/unequal-impact-rising-inflation">like the UK</a> as tourism increases. We suspect that when inflation takes off in wealthier countries, it’s more difficult for tourism workers to renegotiate their wages quickly because employment contracts are more formal. Equally, poorer countries are often more used to higher inflation, so workers may be more adept at such negotiations. So overall, it’s not possible to say that increasing tourism widens or reduces inequality – it very much depends on other factors. But clearly tourism can be good news for inequality in poorer countries when it’s combined with redistributive policies and financial inclusion. This certainly won’t solve problems like worker exploitation across the board, but it does mean that holidaying in developing countries will often be helping them to become more equal over time.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208690/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-tziamalis-333272">Alexander Tziamalis</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuan-wang-1360783">Yuan Wang</a>, Seinor Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/sheffield-hallam-university-846">Sheffield Hallam University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-holidaying-in-developing-countries-affects-local-inequality-208690">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

"Mind blowing": Michael J. Fox stuns with Coldplay performance

British rock band Coldplay has made history at Glastonbury music festival this year, becoming the first band to headline the festival a record five times - and they had one special guest join them on stage. Fans were left in tears after Michael J. Fox hit the stage with Coldplay on Saturday to play the guitar during Fix You and Humankind. Chris Martin paid tribute to Michael and thanked him for being the "main reason" why the band was formed. "The main reason why we're in a band is because of watching Back to the Future, so thank you to our hero forever and one of the most amazing people on Earth, Mr Michael J. Fox. Thank you so much, Michael," he said, before welcoming the actor on stage. The actor, who is an avid musician and famously played the guitar in the iconic 1985 sci-fi movie, thanked his team and Coldplay for the incredible moment. "Glastonbury all the love and thanks to the @coldplay team who took such great care of us," his shared on Instagram. "Oh yeah in case you were wondering… it was f**king mind blowing. There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is @coldplay's time. More pics to come," he added. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C82KTgiI95d/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C82KTgiI95d/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Michael J Fox (@realmikejfox)</a> </div> </blockquote> Many fans were also left in tears following his surprise appearance. "Coldplay, wow just wow. What a show and Michael J. Fox, don't tell me you weren't in tears," wrote one fan on X. "Coldplay rocking Glastonbury and then bringing out Michael J. Fox will be the best thing I see all year," added another. "Coldplay bringing out Michael J. Fox is not what drunk me expected. Sobbing mess," added a third. "Michael J Fox bless his heart on stage with Coldplay," wrote a fourth. Images: BBC / YouTube

Music

Country singer dies aged 79

Country singer Kinky Friedman has passed away aged 79. A post shared on his social media account confirmed the news that he was surrounded by family and friends before his death. “Kinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family and friends,” the post read. “Kinkster endured tremendous pain and unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.” The musician, whose real name is Richard Samet Friedman, developed a cult following for his unique and quirky approach to country and Western music. His first album Sold American was released in 1973, and he also toured with Bob Dylan on his Rolling Thunder Revue. Outside of his music career, Friedman was also a writer, penning detective novels and a working as a columnist for Texas Monthly. He published his first book Elvis, Jesus and Coca-Cola: A Novel in 1994 and ten years later published his second one, Kinky Friedman’s Guide to Texas Etiquette: Or How to Get to Heaven or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth. In 2006 he dabbled in politics, running for the Governor of Texas and received 12.6 per cent of the votes among six candidates. He also helped run the Echo Hill Gold Star Camp for children, with his sister Marcie. Kent Perkins, a longtime friend of Friedman, paid tribute to the musician on social media. “Somewhere in heaven,” he wrote, “I’m sure there’s a quiet corner with a big easy chair, a bright floor lamp, a big stack of biographical books, and a few old dogs wagging their tails to the faint smell of cigar smoke.” Image: Rick Diamond/ Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Prince William shakes it off at Taylor Swift's concert

Prince William has celebrated his 42nd birthday with a boogie at the first of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concerts at Wembley Stadium in London. The pop star took to Instagram to share a selfie she took with the future King and his children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as her boyfriend NFL star Travis Kelce She captioned the photo: "Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/taylorswift13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@taylorswift13</a> for a great evening! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LondonTSTheErastour?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LondonTSTheErastour</a> <a href="https://t.co/NFSi8hAl1o">pic.twitter.com/NFSi8hAl1o</a> — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1804489979294364005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2024</a></blockquote> The Prince and Princess of Wales also shared another angle of the selfie, this time without Kelce included in the photo, to their joint Instagram account. "Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour," they captioned a photo. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> 📲| Prince William dancing to "Shake It Off" at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London <a href="https://t.co/c0J7aSM1Li">pic.twitter.com/c0J7aSM1Li</a> — The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSwiftSociety/status/1804453576560808210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2024</a></blockquote> Eagle-eyed fans who attended the show also spotted the royal shaking it off on the balcony of a private box at the stadium on Friday night and shared a snippet of Prince William dancing the night away to X, formerly Twitter. "Prince William dancing to "Shake It Off" at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London" they captioned the video. Fans were amused at the royal cameo, with one saying: "He was getting it with the ultimate dad moves." Another quipped: "Prince William got moves and boy I tell you George & Charlotte are definitely embarrassed." "Shake it off Prince William! Shake it Off!" added another. Images: Instagram/ X

Music

Cyndi Lauper announces farewell tour

Cyndi Lauper is saying goodbye to fans after announcing that her upcoming US tour will also be her last. The music legend, who turns 71 later this month, will go on a 23-date tour of the US and Canada in October. The announcement of her tour titled Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: The Farewell Tour, sent fans into a frenzy on social media, as they begged her to extend her last tour to more countries. “Farewell tour? Nooo,” wrote one fan on Instagram. “I’m so happy and so incredibly sad. I know you have worked your booty off since the very early 80s and you are due for a darn good rest but I just cannot imagine not seeing you all the time,” another added. “I hate farewells and I am so thankful I grew up when your music was always on the radio!” a third wrote. Fans hoped that the singer would hold a similar farewell tour to fellow pop diva Cher, who went on a 326-date farewell tour from 2002 to 2005. Cher has since performed two more world tours and two separate Las Vegas residences, making it a total of 430 concerts since her announcement. Lauper has not yet spoken publicly about what exactly this “farewell” means in terms of whether she is retiring from touring or the music industry altogether. The singer last visited Australia in March 2023, when she was a support act for Rod Stewart. In the 1980s she had 10 top 20 hits, including scoring a number one spot for her solo debut single Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Image: SplashNews.com/ Shutterstock Editorial

Music

ABBA members reunite for knighthood

ABBA has reunited to receive the Royal Order of Vasa knighthoods in Sweden. All four members of the iconic group were handed the honours by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at the Royal Palace in Sweden. Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Benny Andersson received one of the country's most prestigious awards, establishing them as Commanders of the First Class, for “very outstanding efforts in Swedish and international music life.” The Royal Order of Vasa is an order of chivalry given in recognition of personal efforts for Sweden or for Swedish interests, and was last handed out almost 50 years ago. The pop band were recognised by the King and Queen for their cultural impact, which has taken Swedish pop music to a huge global audience, following their win in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with their smash hit Waterloo. Candidates for this year's Royal Order of Vasa honours were nominated by the public and approved by the Swedish government and the King. It has been forty years since the group last performed live together. In 2021 they released a comeback album called Voyage. The group also gathered at the ABBA Arena in London on Thursday to celebrate the second anniversary of Abba Voyage, the avatar show that has been successfully playing at the venue. They have declined to perform at at this year's Eurovision, marking 50 years since their win. Image: Henrik Montgomery/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial

Music

"It's timeless": Apple Music reveals best albums of all time

Apple Music has compiled their list of the top 100 albums of all time, with the number one spot dividing music lovers. Said to be “a modern 21st-century ranking of the greatest records ever made,” the list was compiled by Apple Music’s team of experts “alongside a select group of artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals.” “The list is an editorial statement,” the streaming giant said in a press release, “fully independent of any streaming numbers on Apple Music - a love letter to the records that have shaped the world music lovers live and listen in.” Taking out the number one spot, which has divided music lovers, is Lauryn Hill’s 1998 magnum opus The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The album beat out other iconic works such as Abbey Road by The Beatles and Thriller by Michael Jackson for the top spot, as well as newer records such as Back to Black by Amy Winehouse and Blonde by Frank Ocean. Following the big reveal, Apple Music’s global creative director, Zane Lowe, described Hill’s album as one that “has not dated, not even a fraction”. “In fact, it feels more fresh and more relevant the more you listen to it … There are a lot of young artists hearing it, and it’s becoming part of their artistic DNA,” he said. “It’s inspiring and influencing them … It’s timeless.” While The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is certainly popular after selling over 20 million copies and making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, not everyone was so sure it deserved top spot on the list. “Album is fire but no way this gets #1 of all albums,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, while another account declared simply: “BLASPHEMY.” “The most overrated album in history. I’m not saying it’s not good but come on,” a user wrote. Many people also insisted Jackson’s “Thriller” deserved to be number one. “That album had no miss, but Michael Jackson thriller is no 1,” an X user said. “I feel like Michael got snubbed,” another agreed. Check out the top 20 of the coveted list below. You can see the top 100 list in its entirety <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/best-albums-of-all-time-revealed/news-story/620abfb3fc0279559eff1cbbbb552b80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. 20. Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys 19. The Chronic – Dr. Dre 18. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift 17. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye 16. Blue – Joni Mitchell 15. 21 – Adele 14. Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan 13. The Blueprint – Jay-Z 12. OK Computer – Radiohead 11. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac 10. Lemonade – Beyoncé 9. Nevermind – Nirvana 8. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse 7. good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Version) – Kendrick Lamar 6. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder 5. Blonde – Frank Ocean 4. Purple Rain – Prince & The Revolution 3. Abbey Road - The Beatles 2. Thriller - Michael Jackson 1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill Image credits: Ruffhouse Records / Apple Records / Epic Records

Music

6 little known facts about The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music, released in 1965, continues to be one of the most beloved family films of all time. In honour of the iconic film, we look behind the scenes to reveal some little known facts about one of our favourite movies. 1. Julie Andrews kept falling over during the famous opening mountain scene While Julie Andrews may look graceful twirling atop the mountain in the opening scenes, in reality she kept being knocked over by the draft of the helicopter trying to capture the iconic aerial scene. Andrews said: “the down draft from those jets was so strong that every time… the helicopter circled around me and the down draft just flattened me into the grass. And I mean flattened. It was fine for a couple of takes, but after that you begin to get just a little bit angry… And I really tried. I mean, I braced myself, I thought, ‘It’s not going to get me this time.’ And every single time, I bit the dust.” 2. Christopher Plummer hates the movies Fans of Christopher Plummer’s Captain von Trapp will be disappointed to learn that he hated the film so much he called it “The Sound of Mucus”. “Because it was so awful and sentimental and gooey,” he said. “You had to work terribly hard to try and infuse some minuscule bit of humour into it.” To ease his pain, Plummer drank, even on set. He admitted on the DVD commentary that he was drunk when filming the Austrian music festival scene. 3. Charmian Carr injured herself during “Sixteen going on seventeen” Charmian Carr, who played Liesl Von Trapp, slipped while leaping from a bench in the gazebo scene. She fell through the glass and injured her ankle. In the scene, she is wearing a bandage on her leg, which is covered by make up. 4. Friedrich grew 15 centimetres during the six months of filming Nicholas Hammond, who played Friedrich Von Trapp, grew from 1.60 metres to 1.75 metres in the six months of filming. It caused many continuity problems in the movie as Friedrich had to be shorter than Liesl but taller than Louisa. As the beginning of the film, Hammond had lifts in his films but by the end, Carr who played Liesl had to stand on a box. 5. Mia Farrow auditioned for the role of Liesl. <a href="https://youtu.be/66v7gtwRGdM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch her audition tape here.</a> 6. The film is historically inaccurate The movie is loosely based on the autobiography of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, but the film took many liberties. For instance, there were 10 von Trapp children, not seven. Maria left the convent to tutor one of the children, not to governess all them. Georg was a kind man, not the stern disciplinarian as depicted the film. Maria and him were married 11 years before the Nazis invaded Austria. And the Von Trapp family didn’t escape from the mountains by crossing over the mountains – that would have led straight to Hitler’s Germany. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

The worst country for pickpockets revealed

When it comes to travelling abroad, there are always different rules to abide by in order to have a stress-free holiday experience. Common sense is a huge key player in staying safe while travelling, with holiday goers often taking extra precautions to keep themselves and their belongings safe in foreign countries. However, there will always be sneaky people who prey on tourists, with these pickpockets having the power to turn a holiday potentially disastrous. While lots of savvy travellers will share their stories about a particular city and a close call they encountered on their journeys, a new survey has proven which European cities are the worst for pickpocketing. Travel insurance experts at <a href="https://www.quotezone.co.uk/presszone/european-pickpocketing-index-top-tourist-destinations-to-watch-out-for">Quotezone</a> have compiled a list of the top 10 cities tourists (as well as locals) are likely to be pickpocketed while travelling around Europe, based on customer feedback and complaints. Italy has come in at the top spot, with the major cities reporting the biggest number of theft complaints in comparison to any other European countries. Tourists named hotspots such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon in Rome, as well as the Duomo di Milano in Milan and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence as places they were targeted by pickpockets. Coming in at second place was France, with major tourist hotspots in Paris all being named as places to be wary of pickpockets. Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said that unfortunately this new research shows that thousands of people have complained about pickpockets in Europe while experiencing the best that European holiday destinations have to offer. He said, “Theft can happen anywhere and tourist hotspots are convenient places for criminals to target holidaymakers’ wallets and purses whilst they are busy taking in the sites.” “It is essential always to remain vigilant, leave valuables, like expensive jewellery, in a safe in the hotel and always travel with a secure cross-body bag with zips to secure phones and wallets or even a money belt.” Check out the entire top ten list of destinations with the highest pickpocketing rates below. 10. Poland 9. Ireland 8. Turkey 7. Portugal 6. Spain 5. Greece 4. Germany 3. The Netherlands 2. France 1. Italy Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

How music is changing the way dementia patients think

New research has proven that music truly is the universal language, with experts discovering how the power of music is helping those suffering with dementia. Music therapists have shown that music brings dementia patients back to the present, with some even finding their voice thanks to the nostalgic memories of the past. According to Registered Music Therapist and Managing Director of music therapy company Music Beat, Dr Vicky Abad, the power of music is not to be overlooked when it comes to degenerative diseases. “Music is a window into people’s pasts,” she said. “It builds on strengths and abilities against a disease that can strip a person of their dignity, abilities and quality of life.” The team at <a href="https://www.tricare.com.au/">TriCare Aged Care and Retirement</a>, who see the devastating impact of dementia each and every day, also experience first-hand the impact music has on residents, with many noticing “unrecognisable” changes in personality when a nostalgic tune is played. Louis Rose, an 80-year-old dementia patient and TriCare resident, was diagnosed with dementia six years ago, and requires assistance with many aspects of day to day life. However, listening to music is one thing he can enjoy on his own. “I grew up in Mauritius and while we didn’t have a lot, we certainly had music. Listening to music has always been an escape for me and a way to relax,” Mr Rose said. “When your brain starts to slow down and you find yourself forgetting things, it can be quite frustrating and confusing. Listening to music has been a way to distract myself from what’s going on in my head, it has helped me so much.” Tamsin Sutherland is a regular live music performer at TriCare facilities across Queensland, and has been able to witness incredible moments with the residents as they come alive as soon as she starts to play. “Watching residents who are often non-verbal sing along to the words is incredible,” she said “It really is like they are coming back to life and reconnecting with who they once were. To be part of that is quite emotional for me.” According to Dr Abad, music can help prevent the restless behaviour that often leads to pacing and wandering, especially in the evenings, which are often difficult times for those battling the disease. “Sundowning usually occurs in the late afternoon as dusk approaches, a time that is also associated with what used to be a busy time period in people’s lives,” she noted. “Personalised music is a simple and effective tool to help residents feel validated in their emotions during this time and provides them an opportunity to experience a calmer state of mind”. Image credits: Getty Images

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Prince William shakes it off at Taylor Swift's concert

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ABBA members reunite for knighthood

"It's timeless": Apple Music reveals best albums of all time

6 little known facts about The Sound of Music

The worst country for pickpockets revealed

How music is changing the way dementia patients think