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Nearly 30 years after releasing one of the most recognizable songs of the '90s, Shania Twain is making a surprising admission about the hit that changed her career.

While the Grammy winner admits it isn't necessarily her favorite song she's ever written, Twain revealed that "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" left the biggest impression on the music industry and on her own life.

"Of all the songs I've written to date, as far as being impressed by the most—[it] may not be my favorite favorite song as a writer necessarily, but as an overall impression that it made in music, that it made as a record, that it made on me as a woman coming into her own kind of a little bit late is 'Man, I feel like a woman,'" the Canadian icon told Harper's Bazaar UK.

Released in 1997 as the opening track off her third studio album, Come On Over, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" became one of Twain's signature songs, helping propel the album to become one of the best-selling records of all time. Nearly three decades later, the anthem remains a staple of her live shows and one of the most recognizable songs in country-pop history.

"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" — which was inspired the men at Toronto's LGBTQ bars — debuted on the Billboard Hot Country chart at number 53, spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart and peaking at number 4. The crossover hit also landed on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 23.

Today's NYT Wordle answer goes great with peanut butter. But the day just isn't complete until I've solved all of the free word games from the New York Times, including Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Strands, and Mini Crossword. If you’re stuck on today’s Wordle answer, we’re here to help—but beware of spoilers for Wordle #1863 ahead.

Let's start with a few hints.

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How many vowels are in today's Wordle?

There are two vowels in today's five-letter word.

What kind of letter does today's Wordle start with?

Today's Wordle begins with a consonant.

Are there any double letters?

There are no double letters in today's Wordle.

Can you give another hint about today's Wordle

A hint for today's Wordle is: Some are saccharine sweet, and some are of wrath.

OK, that's it for hints—I don't want to totally give it away before revealing the answer!

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

We'll have the answer below this friendly reminder of how to play the game.

SPOILERS BELOW—do not scroll any further if you don't want the answer revealed.

The New York Times

Today's Wordle Answer for #1863 on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Today's Wordle answer on Sunday, July 26, 2026, is GRAPE.

-If you missed it, catch up with the answer to yesterday’s Wordle.

Related: Every 5 Letter Word Wordle Hasn't Used Yet (Updated Daily)

Yes' “The Remembering (High the Memory)” continues to stand as one of progressive rock's most ambitious long-form songs, more than five decades after its release on the band's 1973 double album Tales From Topographic Oceans. 

Running for 20 minutes and 33 seconds, the track remains a defining example of the expansive sound that made Yes one of the biggest progressive rock bands of its era.

Released on Dec. 7, 1973, Tales From Topographic Oceans featured four side-long compositions, each running between 18 and 21 minutes. “The Remembering (High the Memory)” occupied the second side of the original double album and was credited to Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White.

English progressive rock group Yes posed for a photo in August 1980.

English progressive rock group Yes, August 1980

The song was built around the idea of a journey across the sea. Its musical movements were designed to suggest the changing motion of water, moving from calm passages into stronger currents and larger waves.

The track begins with Anderson's calm, chant-like vocals before the music gradually grows more active. White's drumming gives the song greater force, while Squire's fretless bass adds movement underneath the arrangement. Wakeman's flowing Mini-Moog work provides one of the song's most notable instrumental moments, while Howe adds guitar leads and solos throughout the nearly 21-minute performance, according to Something Else.

Yes' ‘The Remembering’ Remains a Progressive Rock Classic

The song's long structure reflects the larger vision behind Tales From Topographic Oceans. Anderson developed the album's concept after reading a footnote in Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. He and Howe then worked on the album's themes and musical ideas during Yes' Close to the Edge tour.

The finished project became a double album with four extended tracks. Each composition was linked to one of four categories of Hindu scriptures described in the source material that inspired Anderson.

“The Remembering” was connected to smriti, or texts associated with memory. Anderson described the piece as a “calm sea of music” and wanted the band to create the feeling of “rhythms, eddies, swells, and undercurrents” through sound.

The track also gave each member space to contribute. White provided the chord basis for one section, while Squire played fretless bass. Howe used several instruments, including electric sitar, lute and acoustic guitar. Wakeman's keyboard passages were an important part of the song's flowing character.

The recording process was also unusual. According to Songfacts, Anderson wanted to recreate the sound of singing in his bathroom at home. To achieve that effect, the band built a small bathroom-like space in the studio with shower tiles.

The making of the album was not always easy. Wakeman was unhappy with the direction of the project and later became increasingly distant from the group. He was especially critical of the album's elaborate production and the amount of material needed to fill a double record.

That tension also affected the song's live history. Steve Howe later recalled that Yes did not play “The Remembering” as often as some of the other material because of feedback that Wakeman was not happy performing it.

The album's reputation has changed over the years. The album was commercially successful despite the mixed critical response. It reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart for two weeks and No. 6 on the US Billboard 200. It also earned Gold certification in the United Kingdom and United States.

More than 50 years later, the album continues to receive new attention. A Super Deluxe Edition released in February 2026 expanded the original project with a remastered version of the album, new Steven Wilson mixes, instrumental versions, rarities and previously unreleased live recordings.

The expanded collection also includes previously unreleased performances connected to the Tales From Topographic Oceans tour. The live recordings feature shows from Manchester in November 1973, Cardiff in December 1973 and Zürich in April 1974.

For “The Remembering (High the Memory),” the new material adds another chapter to the story of a song that was already notable for its unusual length and detailed arrangement.

Fifty-three years after its original release, “The Remembering (High the Memory)” remains a lasting example of the scale and ambition that defined classic progressive rock.

Related: 1974 Rock Song, Lasting Nearly 22 Minutes, Remains a Classic 52 Years Later

Today's NYT Mini Crossword covers everything from animated movies to synchronized fliers. Working on the daily Connections, Connections Sports Edition, Wordle, and Strands is a whole ritual for many of us. And we can't forget about the NYT's The Mini Crossword, too!

Although the NYT is known for "The Crossword," a larger puzzle for paid subscribers, The Mini has quite the fan following as well. This particular game resets at 10 p.m., unlike some of the others that start over at midnight.

So, if you're working on today's Mini Crossword on Sunday, July 26, and need some help (I've been there), get ready to read the clues and solutions for each line. We have them separated into hints first for both "Across" and "Down" words, followed by "Across Answers" and "Down Answers," so be careful if you want to avoid spoilers as you scroll!

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Hints for NYT’s The Mini Crossword on Sunday, July 26, 2026

Here are additional clues for each of the words in today's Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Hints

1 Across: One of five for most starfish — HINT: Starts with the letter "A"

4 Across: Fliers in a V —HINT: Ends with the letter "E"

7 Across: Sing the praises of — HINT: Ends with the letter "L"

8 Across: Capital of South Korea — HINT: Starts with the letter "S"

9 Across: Bottom of a shoe — HINT: Ends with the letter "E"

Related: 16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours

NYT Mini Down Hints

1 Down: Around 14-29, for most members of Gen Z — HINT: Starts with the letter "A"

2 Down: T. ___ (fearsome dinos) — HINT: Ends with the letter "S"

3 Down: "Yeah, same!" — HINT: Ends with the letter "O"

5 Down: 2020 Pixar movie — HINT: Starts with the letter "S"

6 Down: French fashion magazine — HINT: Ends with the letter "E"

Answers to NYT’s The Mini Crossword for Sunday, July 26, 2026

Don't go any further unless you want to know exactly what the correct words are in today's Mini Crossword.

NYT Mini Across Answers

1 Across: One of five for most starfish — ARM

4 Across: Fliers in a V —GEESE

7 Across: Sing the praises of — EXTOL

8 Across: Capital of South Korea — SEOUL

9 Across: Bottom of a shoe — SOLE

NYT Mini Down Answers

1 Down: Around 14-29, for most members of Gen Z — AGES

2 Down: T. ___ (fearsome dinos) — REXES

3 Down: "Yeah, same!" — METOO

5 Down: 2020 Pixar movie — SOUL

6 Down: French fashion magazine — ELLE

Related: I Tried Reese Witherspoon's Grandma's Corn Salad and It's the Refreshing Ode to Summer That I'll Be Making on Repeat

During Marvel’s annual Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, the franchise made two major film announcements, with surprise appearances from Ryan Gosling, Robert Downey Jr., Hayley Atwell, Ryan Reynolds, Pedro Pascal,Chris Evans and others.

Hosted by Kevin Feige, the president and executive producer of Marvel Studios, the presentation kicked off with a first look at Avengers: Endgame Encore. Feige confirmed that the rereleased film will head to theaters on Sept. 25, and a trailer revealed that it will feature an exclusive look at Avengers: Doomsday. But the surprises didn’t stop there, as Gosling took the stage to help announce another major project.

With Gosling starring and Shawn Levy directing, Marvel announced that their new film, Ghost Rider, is set to release in 2028. 

“Is this really happening?” Gosling smiled and asked. “As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time. So, Kevin, Josh Horowitz, Hall H, thank you.”

Levy and Gosling also recently collaborated on the upcoming Star Wars film Star Wars: Starfighter, which is set to release on May 28, 2027. Levy also directed Deadpool & Wolverine, and said he was having “the greatest flashback vibes” to when that film was screened at Comic-Con two years ago.

“I’ll never forget that night, because I was introduced to the greatest fans,” Levy said during the presentation. “Gosling is the absolute s—it. I say that with tremendous respect. We spent a lot of time last year making Starfighter, and the opportunity as Ryan started talking about this character, I was like, ‘Bro, let’s ride.’ We’ll see you in 2028!”

Later in the presentation, Downey gave a heartfelt message to fans, teasing that the film will be special.

“Y’all had faith in me two years ago and lifted me up,” Downey said. “I think we’ve done something real special. But decisions will have to be made.”

Downey continued in Doctor Doom’s voice, saying, “This time, you’re either on the side of the good guys, or you may consider the alternative of perhaps joining the family of Doom.”

To wrap up the panel, Marvel announced that a third Black Panther movie will be released to theaters on Dec. 15, 2028. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film will star David Jonsson as T’Challa’s son and the new Black Panther.

These announcements come less than a week after Marvel released the official trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to release in theaters on Dec. 18. The film will bring back beloved characters like Steve Rogers, Loki and the X-Men. While the plot remains under wraps, the trailer shows the Avengers battling Doctor Doom, played by Downey. Watch it here.

Back in the day, there were a few super-young music acts that shot straight to stardom, even achieving major wins like a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 — Question Mark & the Mysterians was one of those acts. Filled with youngsters as young as 14 years old when they earned their first and only chart-topper, the band's one-hit-wonder, "96 Tears," remains a timeless classic 60 years later.

Written by lead singer Question Mark (born Rudy Martinez), the song hit No. 1 on Oct. 29, 1966, charting for 15 weeks total on the Billboard Hot 100. It was even ranked among the Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of All Time by Rolling Stone, with the outlet noting that it was one of the most “memorable” songs of the ‘60s garage rock era. “Originally titled ‘69 Tears,’ the Michigan-based band recorded the song in their manager’s living room in 1966,” the famed music publication shared.

The emotional track tells the tale of heartbreak and revenge, with the anthem's singer promising to win back the girl who dumped him, just to break up with her again so she can cry "96 tears" and feel the same pain he did.

"You're way on top now / Since you left me / You're always laughin' / Way down at me / But watch out now / I'm gonna get there / We'll be together / For just a little while / And then I'm gonna put you / Way down here / And you'll start cryin' / Ninety-six tears," the song's lyrics express, per Genius.

Bandmates Frank Rodriguez on keyboards—the youngest of the band at 14 years old—Bobby Balderrama on guitar, Frank Lugo on bass, and Eddie Serrato on drums, pulled the song together during a brainstorming session, the guitarist recalled.

The baby of the band officially joined the crew in February of 1966, turning 14 in March. “I didn’t think the song ’96 Tears’ was gonna go anywhere, but it did real good,” Rodriguez admitted, according to Goldmine mag.

Vice journalist Legs McNeil sung the group's praises, even calling them "one of the greatest punk bands ever." In a 2014, they shared with him how the track came to be. “One day, Frank started playing a little organ riff, and we really liked it a lot,” Balderrama said, per the outlet. “I kinda came up with the chord riff, and every time we practiced, we recorded everything. At first it didn’t have words. Then Question Mark said he had words for it, but I thought he was just singing off the top of his head. I thought he was just improvising.”

Decades later, "96 Tears" remains a punk rock anthem; it even made Rolling Stone's roundup of the 500 Best Songs of All Time.

Related: 1969 Timeless Hit, Written 'Quickly' in Between Studio Takes, Turned a 20-Year-Old Into a Rock Icon

One announcement quickly got even better.

Zach Top has confirmed that his new song, "Good Girls & Cowgirls," will be released on Aug. 21. The country singer first performed the track for a packed crowd at Montana's Under the Big Sky Festival before sharing the news with fans online.

"Thanks for being our guinea pigs, Montana!" Top wrote alongside a video from the performance. "New song 'Good Girls & Cowgirls' is out August 21."

The lighthearted track compares the sweetness associated with "good girls" to the wilder side of cowgirls. It carries the traditional country humor that has become a familiar part of Top's music, along with the sound that first helped him stand apart from many of his peers.

However, fans will now receive more than the one song originally promised. Two days after the first announcement, Top revealed that "Other Side of Hurtin'" will be released alongside it.

"Make it a double! 2 songs are dropping next month and I'm excited for you all to hear them," he wrote. The two-song release will also be available as a limited 7-inch vinyl, with one song featured on each side.

View this post on Instagram

The news comes while Top is in the middle of his "Cold Beer & Country Music Tour '26." His upcoming tour schedule includes headlining shows across the U.S. and Canada, along with appearances on Chris Stapleton's All-American Road Show. The run is currently set to continue through an Oct. 30 concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

Top's breakout hit, "I Never Lie," reached No. 1 on Billboard's Canada Country chart and became his first entry on the Hot 100. The song also earned him 2026 Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.

His second album, Ain't in It for My Health, gave Top his first Grammy win when it was named Best Traditional Country Album. He became the first artist to receive the award after the category was introduced in 2026.

With two songs now due before the final stretch of his tour, Top is giving fans new music just in time to hear it on the road.

Related: Beloved Metal Band Announces New Album 17 Years After Forming

In 1976, Paul Simon turned the end of a relationship into the biggest solo hit of his career.

That year, he released "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," a witty yet heartfelt ballad that blended clever lyrics with one of the most recognizable drum intros in rock history. The song went on to spend three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a defining soft rock classic that continues to resonate nearly five decades later.

The idea came from an unlikely conversation.

Simon has recalled that the song was inspired after someone suggested there must be "50 ways to leave your lover." While he never actually came up with 50 different methods, he built the song around a series of humorous nicknamed suggestions: "Slip out the back, Jack," "Make a new plan, Stan," and "Hop on the bus, Gus," that quickly became some of the most quoted lyrics in popular music.

"I woke up one morning in my apartment on Central Park and the opening words just popped into my mind: 'The problem is all inside your head, she said to me...'" Simon said in a 1975 interview for Rock Lives: Profiles and Interviews. "That was the first thing I thought of. So I just started building on that line. It was the last song I wrote for the album, and I wrote it with a Rhythm Ace, one of those electronic drum machines so maybe that's how it got that sing-song 'make a new plan Stan, don't need to be coy Roy' quality. It's basically a nonsense song."

Musically, the song stood apart from much of Simon's earlier work.

Released as the lead single from his Grammy-winning album Still Crazy After All These Years, "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" featured an instantly recognizable drum pattern by legendary session drummer Steve Gadd. His crisp, syncopated performance became one of the recording's defining elements and has since been celebrated as one of the greatest drum grooves ever captured on a pop record.

"What I did between takes was, I'd be practicing constantly, different things to just sort of…that was my creative outlet for practicing," Gadd told Rick Beato in an interview years later. "Not doing it loud, not technically, but just these little, different patterns. You know, how to play the hi-hat with the foot and hit it with the left hand after. Things like that. [Producer] Phil [Ramone] heard me practicing that stuff, and I was probably putting it into some kind of little groove, and he said 'Why don't we try something like that for the verses?'" 

Listeners immediately embraced the combination of humor and heart.

Despite its playful title, the song explores the emotional difficulty of ending a relationship, balancing heartbreak with optimism and gentle wit. That contrast helped it appeal to a broad audience, sending it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in early 1976. It remains the only solo No. 1 single of Simon's career.

The success of the single also helped propel Still Crazy After All These Years to the top of the album charts.

The record went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and Simon won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, further cementing Simon's reputation as one of the era's most gifted songwriters. Alongside classics like "Still Crazy After All These Years" and "My Little Town," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" showcased his ability to combine sophisticated storytelling with irresistible melodies.

Nearly 50 years after it topped the charts, "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" continues to sound as fresh as ever. Its clever lyrics, unforgettable rhythm, and timeless message have ensured its place among the defining soft rock classics of the 1970s, proving that sometimes a little advice, and a great melody, paul scan last a lifetime.

Related: 1977 Classic Ballad, Written by a 19-Year-Old, Remains a Classic 49 Years Later

In the late 1970s, a young singer-songwriter who would go on to become a music legend debuted on the scene. Releasing her debut album in 1978, Kate Bush quickly got attention for her music and charisma, with her debut single shooting up the charts.

For her debut album called The Kick Inside, Bush's first official single was "Wuthering Heights." Inspired by the classic novel of the same name by Emily Brontë, Bush wrote the track in the span of one night the year before, when she was just 18 years old.

Still a teenager by the time the song officially came out, Bush's music was an impressive success and a huge start to her career. In particular, "Wuthering Heights" gained a lot of fans.

The song is a story told from the perspective of the character Catherine Earnshaw after her death, when she's a ghost pleading with her former love, Heathcliff. Just like how she wrote the song in a few hours, Bush also recorded her vocals for the tune in one take.

The mixing for "Wuthering Heights" took place over the course of one night as well, starting at midnight and going until around six in the morning. Music engineer Jon Kelly recalled working with Bush on the song.

He said, "Kate was there the whole time, encouraging us. She was the shining light of the entire sessions. You couldn't deny her anything. So, we got on with the job, and we finished at about five or six that morning."

Related: 1970 Rock Song, Lasting Over 12 Minutes, Remains a Classic 56 Years Later

Bush's record company wanted another track from The Kick Inside to be the lead single, but she pushed for "Wuthering Heights." In the end, it was likely the right choice. The song entered the main British Official Singles chart and stayed there for 14 weeks. It also became her first No. 1, holding the top spot for four weeks.

With "Wuthering Heights," Bush was the first woman to achieve this chart success with a song she entirely wrote herself.

Related: 1999 Classic Ballad, Which Won an Oscar, Remains a Timeless Anthem 27 Years Later

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If you're in major need of a bedroom refresh, then you might want to start with your duvet or quilt. The bed is the centerpiece of the room, so you want your bedding to match your style while also being ultra-comfortable — which is something Martha Stewart is an expert at. The television personality has a fabulous array of home pieces on sale at Wayfair, including the Martha Stewart French Bird Floral Cotton Green Quilt Set for up to 70% off. 

The quilt set originally cost $150 in the twin size, but has been reduced to as low as $45. The queen size has dropped to $61, and the king size has been marked down to $104. The set comes with two pillow shams and one quilt — just note that the twin size only comes with one sham. The quilt is actually reversible, so you're essentially getting two patterns in one buy. 

Martha Stewart French Bird Floral Cotton Green Quilt Set, From $45 (was $217) at Wayfair

Courtesy of Wayfair

Shop at Wayfair

The white and sage green quilt features stripes on one side and a delicate French-inspired floral pattern on the other. The piece is made of cotton with a polyester fill, so it's designed to be breathable, lightweight, and super soft. Due to the material, the set is machine washable, but it's advised that you wash it with cold water and dry it on low. If you’re unsure how to care for it once it arrives, consult the care instructions provided on the label. 

What we love about this set is the stitching and delicate pattern (on either side!), which adds texture and balance to your space without overwhelming the room. The shams have a scallop trim edge for additional charm and sophistication. Shoppers described the set as "beautiful," "so pretty," "cute," and "great-quality." One customer noted that it's the "perfect" pick for spring and summer. 

Related: Martha Stewart's 'Really Pretty' Floral Rug Adds Instant French Countryside Charm, Now 68% Off

Another reviewer said that it "feels old-fashioned," which makes it ideal for cottagecore and farmhouse-inspired interior decor. Although shoppers say it's great for warmer seasons, you can utilize this bedspread all year long. Considering the affordable price, it's also an ideal budget pick for guest rooms or additional bedrooms. 

Shop More Deals 

• Kucera Flatiron Oriental Gray Area Rug, $100 (was $480) at Wayfair
• Corrigan Studio Latwon Wooden Desk, $100 (was $121) at Wayfair
• Rifle Paper Co. x Loloi Rosa Ivory Area Rug, $178 (was $470) at Wayfair

Upgrading your home is a whole lot easier when there are amazing deals to choose from. Let Martha Stewart design your bedroom by shopping for this stunning floral cotton quilt set. Make sure to snag it at Wayfair while it's up to 70% off! 

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She captivated TV audiences for 12 seasons of Murder, She Wrote. But there was also Angela Lansbury the theater actress, making her mark on numerous musicals.

There was one in particular where she simply shined, and at two different "stages" of her career, believe it or not.

To explain: This week marks 43 years since the Broadway revival of Jerry Herman's hit musical Mame, which saw Lansbury returning to the lead role. The staged production had launched years earlier, in 1966, where the late actress also played the character of Mame Dennis.

Interestingly, though, when Mame premiered at the Gershwin Theatre on July 24, 1983, it would light up the stage for a mere 41 shows.

Nonetheless, The New York Times gave the revival plenty of praise in its review published exactly 43 years ago. "Angela Lansbury is back as Patrick Dennis's high-living, freethinking aunt - still kicking a leg clear to heaven in the irresistible title song, still pouring her soul into the ballad 'If He Walked Into My Life,' still exhorting one and all to 'Live, live, live!'" reads the July 25, 1983 Times write-up.

The review continues, "There are... moments that perk us up, many of them featuring Miss Lansbury. One feels a rush when she enters, a vision in gold from her toes to her raised bugle, to play queen bee to her Beekman Place party guests. It's still fun to watch her exchange insults with Miss Francine in ''Bosom Buddies'' or teach teen-agers how to jitterbug in ''That's How Young I Feel.'' Like everyone else, the star sometimes seems to be pushing herself to be merry - but, as always, she is a charismatic actress and a paragon of glamour."

Here's the play's official synopsis, according to Playbill: "Roaring Twenties socialite Mame Dennis teaches her orphaned nephew the nature of free living and free thinking, attempting to keep him from the clutches of the uptight world of his late father's estate executor and, later, his fiancée."

Written in 1955 for a film by the same name, "Unchained Melody" has become a standard classic and one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century. Written by composer Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret, the word "unchained" actually does not appear in the song.

A prolific tune, "Unchained Melody" has been the subject of over 1,500 recordings by more than 600 singers. In 1965, ten years after the release of the original, one of these recordings was that by the duo The Righteous Brothers. The vocals on the cover are performed by Bobby Hatfield, who won a coin toss against partner Bill Medley to sing lead. The cover by the duo is considered the best-known or most popular version of the song and even went on to be a jukebox standard.

"Unchained Melody" was released as the B-side to the single "Hung on You." However, multiple radio DJs at the time disregarded "Hung on You" and opted to play "Unchained Melody" instead. Thanks mostly to the radio play, the song reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1990, the version by The Righteous Brothers reentered the charts due to its inclusion in the hit movie, Ghost.Because of some licensing issues, the duo opted to rerecord the song, and the new version also entered the charts. The new version was received well, peaked at number 19 on the charts, and was nominated for a Grammy.

While the Righteous Brothers version has gone on to be considered the definitive version of the song, several other notable covers have been recorded over the years. "Unchained Melody" has been recorded by Elvis, Gareth Gates, Anne Wilson, U2, Barry Manilow, and Cyndi Lauper.

In 2004, Rolling Stone listed the version of "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers among their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." The Songwriters Hall of Fame also honored the song with a Towering Song award in 2007.

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Related: 1971 Soft-Rock Cover, the Artist’s Only No. 1 Hit, Became a Power Breakup Anthem

Before Matt Damon had to fight his way home from the Trojan War in Christopher Nolan'sThe Odyssey, Brad Pitt was in 2004's Greek epic Troy.

The blockbuster took the well-known story of Greek Gods and Trojan horses and turned it into an epic in the vein of Ben Hur and Gladiator. But, the experience forced the lead actor to reassess his career choices.

Pitt played Achilles in the star-studded movie, which also starred Eric Bana, Diane Kruger, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Rose Byrne and the late Peter O'Toole. But the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star didn't choose to make the film, he was contractually obliged to by Warner Bros.

"[Troy] really made me think, I'm following my gut from here on out. I had to do Troy because — I guess I can say all this now — I pulled out of another movie and then had to do something for the studio," he told The New York Times in 2019. "So I was put in Troy. It wasn't painful, but I realized that the way that movie was being told was not how I wanted it to be. I made my own mistakes in it."

Pitt admitted working onFight Clubwith David Fincher had "spoiled" him and that Troy was far too concerned with being "commercial."

"Every shot was like, Here's the hero! There was no mystery. So about that time I made a decision that I was only going to invest in quality stories, for lack of a better term. It was a distinct shift that led to the next decade of films," Pitt revealed about the film loosely based on Homer’s Iliad.

The actor was so dissatisfied he made a point of altering his strategy so that he was “only going to invest in quality stories, for lack of a better term.” 

Eric Bana, Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)

He is not the only actor who has little love for Wolfgang Petersen’s 2004 historical epic. Orlando Bloom admitted during an interview for Variety’s Know Their Lines video series that he has mostly blocked the movie out of his mind.

“Oh my god, Troy. Wow. I think I just blanked that movie out of my brain by the way,” Bloom said. “So many people love that movie, but for me playing that character was just like [slits throat]. Am I allowed to say all of these things? I didn’t want to do the movie. I didn’t want to play this character.”

While the Pirates of the Caribbean actor said the movie was "great" he felt his character, Paris, was "completely against everything I felt in my being."

"At one point it says Paris crawls along the floor having been beaten by somebody and holds his brother’s leg. I was like, ‘I’m not going to be able to do this.’ One of my agents at the time said, ‘But that’s the moment that will make it!’ And I completely fell for that line of a agent. I think that’s why I blanked that from my mind,” the British actor explained.

Comedian Larry the Cable Guy was rushed to the hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a severe bout of appendicitis, TMZreported today.

The sudden ailment left him bedridden for a couple of days as he was actually hospitalized last Thursday, but Hollywood news isn't exactly hot off the press in the cornfields of Lincoln...

Mr. Guy, whose real name is Daniel Whitney, is said to be back home now recovering since his medical team Got-R-Done.

While he doesn't have any tour dates lined up any time soon, he is the host of CBS's American Mayhem, a comedic TV show based on a clip show featuring outrageous viral videos all across the country. Production is halted until the 63-year-old host is fully recovered, which is expected to be speedy since he's "feeling much better" already.

Related: Jason Bateman Was Once Arrested in Foreign Country Donning ‘Little Leopard Outfit’

Remember The Blue Collar Comedy Tour? It was all the rage in the comedy world in the early 2000s.

Back when we were burning DVDs for our friends and making mixtapes for lovers, one of the biggest movie releases wasn't a superhero blockbuster; it was a quartet of standup comedians slingin' jokes, winning over audiences nationwide.

The popular movie featured A-lister Jeff Foxworthy, now un-retired Bill Engvall, "Tater Salad" himself Ron White, and always in character, Larry the Cable Guy, known for his signature catchphrase, "Git-R-Done!"

Typically donning the same recycled get-up of cut-off sleeves, a basic ball cap, and jeans, Larry's country twang became synonymous with his brand of everyday man of comedy, but he has remained fairly low-key since his rise to Blue Collar fame.

During a panel hosted by AMC+ at Comic-Con to promote the upcoming horror series Yaga, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams shared a surprise video clip with the audience.

Williams, who plays Henry Park in the upcoming show, wasn’t able to attend the panel in person, but recorded a video from a hotel room to shout out his cast and crew.

“I wish I could be there with you today, and that beautiful cast and crew that I love so much,” Williams said. “I’ve also never been to Comic-Con, so I’d really love to be there! The show was a blast. It was a wild one to film, and I just hope you guys love it as much as I had fun filming it."

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When talking about snagging Williams for Yaga after the success of Heated Rivalry, executive producer Kat Sandler said she’s “the smartest showrunner in the world.”

“We’re very lucky that he wanted to come play,” Sandler continued.

Noah Reid, one of Williams’ co-stars in the show, gave the audience a sneak peek into what Williams’ performance will be like in the show.

“You’ll get to see another side of Hudson’s acting capabilities,” Reid said. “It’s a wild performance. He’s got blue eyes, which everyone’s been commenting on. It’s like ‘Oh that’s kind of scary hot.’”

The upcoming series is based on Sandler’s play of the same name. The show reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga, following a private investigator who investigates the disappearance of Williams’ character. In the trailer shown at Comic-Con, Deadline reported that Carrie-Ann Moss’s character, Katherine, could be heard narrating while a “slightly moist and a little horny” Williams was shown.

“There are versions of her all over the world. Sometimes she’s an ugly old witch,” Katherine explained in the voiceover. “She lives in a [dilapidated] house on chicken feet. Sometimes she’s a wise woman, an enchantress, a healer. Sometimes she helps a hero on his quest. Sometimes she tests him. Sometimes she kills them. Sometimes she eats them. Sometimes she f—ks them. But she always has a name.”

At the end of the trailer, it was revealed that Yaga will be released in Oct. 2026 by Crave.

Some of the biggest songs begin long before the world ever hears them.

That was the case with "Time for Me to Fly," one of REO Speedwagon's most enduring ballads. Although it was released in 1978 on the band's breakthrough album You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish, songwriter Kevin Cronin first wrote the song eight years earlier, when he was just 18 years old.

Cronin recently reflected on the song's origins in a social media post.

"I wrote this song in 1970 in the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college," he said in a TikTok video, meaning he was just 18 years old at the time. Long before REO Speedwagon became one of the biggest rock bands of the late 1970s and early '80s, Cronin had already crafted the heartfelt ballad that would eventually become one of the group's defining songs.

The lyrics tell the story of someone finding the strength to walk away from an unhealthy relationship.

"I had been in love with my first love - a girl that I met in high school," Cronin told Songfacts. "But there was a point where I knew that I had to move on, but didn't want to, because I was attached to her. I knew that it wasn't working, so I went to Colorado to put some distance between me and her, even though that wasn't what I consciously did."

Built around an uplifting melody and Cronin's emotional vocal performance, "Time for Me to Fly" balances heartbreak with optimism. Rather than dwelling on lost love, the song embraces the freedom that comes from moving forward, a message that has helped it resonate with listeners for generations.

"When we got out there, this friend of mine, Dave Drury, he had this beautiful Guild acoustic guitar, and it was in this weird tuning that I’d never played before," Cronin told Ultimate Classic RockNights. "I picked it up and started strumming this thing. It was like, 'Wow!' It was an open tuning, which I'd never even heard of before. I started 'Time for Me to Fly.'"

Released in 1978, the track became an early standout for REO Speedwagon.

Although it wasn't one of the band's biggest pop-chart hits, "Time for Me to Fly" received substantial FM radio airplay and became a staple of the band’s live shows. Its popularity also helped build momentum for REO Speedwagon's commercial breakthrough, which arrived just a few years later with Hi Infidelity and classics including "Keep On Loving You" and "Take It on the Run."

Over the decades, "Time for Me to Fly" has developed a life of its own.

The song has appeared in films and television shows, been covered by multiple artists, and remains one of the most requested songs in REO Speedwagon's catalog. Fans continue to embrace its message of resilience, making it a favorite at concerts more than four decades after its release.

Nearly 50 years later, "Time for Me to Fly" still stands as one of Kevin Cronin's finest songwriting achievements. What began as the reflections of an 18 year-old college student in the summer of 1970 ultimately became a timeless soft rock anthem, proving that some songs only grow more meaningful with age.

Related: 1977 Rock Classic, Inspired by One of the ‘Greatest Movies’ of All Time, Became a Timeless Anthem

Heavy metal fans have a crowded fall calendar ahead.

Trivium has announced The Crown In The Grave Tour, an extensive North American headlining run featuring special guests In Flames, Orbit Culture, Fit For An Autopsy and Frozen Soul.

The 32-date tour begins Nov. 5 at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, Fla., and travels throughout the United States and Canada before concluding Dec. 19 at The Fillmore in Charlotte, N.C. Tickets are available through Trivium's official website.

Trivium will also use the tour to introduce fans to new material from its upcoming album. The record will be the group's first with drummer Alex Rüdinger, who joined Trivium in 2025 following the departure of Alex Bent.

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"This fall's Trivium tour is a huge one for us," the group said. "The lineup is stacked from top to bottom, and we're honored to have special guests In Flames, who not only influenced our early years but continue to prove time and again why they're one of the greatest metal bands of all time."

"With Orbit Culture, Fit For An Autopsy, and Frozen Soul rounding out the bill, we can't wait to get out there, kick off this next era of Trivium with Rudi behind the kit, and give you a taste of the new music we've been working on. We'll see you soon!"

The tour continues a busy period for the Florida metal group. Trivium released the three-song EP Struck Dead in October 2025, with Bent completing his final recordings for the group before Rüdinger stepped in. Frontman Matt Heafy has since called the band's upcoming album "arguably our greatest album of all time."

Trivium has released 10 studio albums since forming in 1999, earning a Grammy nomination for "Betrayer" in 2019. More than two decades into its career, the group is now preparing to show audiences where its music is headed next.

The Crown In The Grave Tour dates

• Nov. 5 – St. Petersburg, Fla. – Jannus Live
• Nov. 6 – Atlanta, Ga. – The Eastern
• Nov. 7 – Louisville, Ky. – Old Forester's Paristown Hall
• Nov. 8 – Grand Rapids, Mich. – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
• Nov. 10 – Silver Spring, Md. – The Fillmore
• Nov. 11 – New Haven, Conn. – College Street Music Hall
• Nov. 12 – New York, N.Y. – Terminal 5
• Nov. 14 – Philadelphia, Pa. – Franklin Music Hall
• Nov. 15 – Worcester, Mass. – The Palladium
• Nov. 17 – Laval, Quebec – Place Bell
• Nov. 18 – Toronto, Ontario – GCT Theatre
• Nov. 20 – Royal Oak, Mich. – Royal Oak Music Theatre
• Nov. 21 – Chicago, Ill. – Aragon Ballroom
• Nov. 22 – Madison, Wis. – The Sylvee
• Nov. 24 – Nashville, Tenn. – The Pinnacle
• Nov. 25 – Chesterfield, Mo. – The Factory at The District
• Nov. 27 – San Antonio, Texas – Boeing Center at Tech Port
• Nov. 28 – Houston, Texas – Bayou Music Center
• Nov. 29 – Dallas, Texas – South Side Ballroom
• Dec. 2 – Phoenix, Ariz. – Arizona Financial Theatre
• Dec. 3 – Las Vegas, Nev. – The Pearl
• Dec. 4 – Inglewood, Calif. – YouTube Theater
• Dec. 5 – San Francisco, Calif. – The Masonic
• Dec. 7 – Penticton, British Columbia – Penticton Trade & Convention Centre
• Dec. 8 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
• Dec. 9 – Seattle, Wash. – Paramount Theatre
• Dec. 11 – Reno, Nev. – Grand Sierra Resort – Grand Theatre
• Dec. 13 – Denver, Colo. – Mission Ballroom
• Dec. 15 – Tulsa, Okla. – Tulsa Theatre
• Dec. 16 – Omaha, Neb. – Steelhouse
• Dec. 18 – Pittsburgh, Pa. – Citizen's Live at The Wylie
• Dec. 19 – Charlotte, N.C. – The Fillmore

Related: '80s Metal Legend and Founding Member of Iconic Rock Band Announces Hiatus

There is a very short list of actors who played Captain Kirk after William Shatner. The Star Trek franchise is still relevant as ever. Shatner, 95, continues to be creative in other ways.

He is promoting his metal album. Paul Wesley reacted to the TV icon's shocking health journey.

Paul Wesley Says It's an Honor to Be Associated With William Shatner (L-R): Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk and Dan Jeannotte as Sam Kirk

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel to the original series. The Vampire Diaries star played Captain Kirk in nine episodes throughout the four seasons. He spoke fondly of Shatner.

"He’s incredible," Wesley told Entertainment Weekly. "He’s 95 years old, he looks incredible. We now found out that he fought cancer, beat it. He seems invincible, and he’s such a legend, and it’s just an honor to be associated with him in any capacity."

Wesley's recent appearance in the sci-fi series was in the episode, "Valles Marineris." Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew were sent back 65 million years. The crew interacted with dinosaurs. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Kirk's important connection started on the journey. It was different from how we know the good friends.

"We wanna see the genesis of Kirk." Wesley told EXTRA. "We wanna see the evolution of this character and then, you know, my relationship with Spock is one of the most important relationships ever." Hopefully, the actor will return in season 5 to further the relationship.

Related: Ian Somerhalder Explains Money Struggles After ‘The Vampire Diaries’

Shatner Was Diagnosed With Melanoma William Shatner speaks onstage during the "Boldly Going: A Spotlight on William Shatner" panel

Mat Hayward/Getty Images

The TV icon and his daughter Melanie Shatner Gretsch told PEOPLEhow they relied on each other during their hard times. "We’re a very together family," Shatner said. "We’re bonded by all kinds of difficulties that we’ve overcome."

Gretsch, 61, was almost finished with her cancer treatment when the patriarch was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma. It already spread to his brain and lungs.

Related: William Shatner, 95, Wrote a Guns N’ Roses-Inspired Song

They're cancer free in 2026, and the actor is back with a new project. He spoke about being grateful for the small things.

"I’m thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball, and my children," he said. "I’m aware of the magic of it all."

Shatner released cover music in the past. This year his focus is metal music with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden covers on his album A Gathering of Forces. He also wrote a song in response to "Patience" by Guns N' Roses.

Of course, new Star Trek shows would love to have a Shatner cameo. Co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman revealed to Polygon that he wanted the actor to play the captain in Depression-era New York in the episode “The City on the Edge of Forever.” The episode was in season 1 from the original show and Joan Collins appeared as Sister Edith Keeler. Sadly, it didn't happen.

A new Grey's Anatomy cast photo has fans wondering what Season 23 could look like—and more specifically, whether Meredith Grey will be part of it.

The official Grey's AnatomyInstagram account shared a behind-the-scenes photo Friday, July 24, as production got underway on the upcoming season. The image featured several familiar faces, including Camilla Luddington, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr. and other returning cast members. But one person was noticeably absent: Ellen Pompeo.

It didn't take long for fans to flood the comments with questions about the actress, who has played Meredith since the show's premiere in 2005.

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“GREY'S Anatomy but I don't see a GREY..LOL,” one person said.

“and ellen pompeo?” another asked, while a third wrote, “where’s meredith?”

A fourth quipped, “ok so I’m not seeing Meredith??? the show is called greys anatomy, but there’s not a single “grey” in sight.”

Grey's Anatomy has already undergone significant cast changes as of late, so it makes sense why folks are concerned. Season 22 ended with the departures of longtime starsKevin McKidd and Kim Raver, leaving many viewers wondering who will return when the medical drama comes back.

Other longtime fans revealed they didn’t even recognize the cast anymore.

“Who are like 90% of these people,” one asked.

Someone else said, “Only two originals. They killed everybody off the show😭”

READ MORE: Fans Still Can’t Get Over George O’Malley’s Death on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

While Pompeo's absence from the photo sparked speculation, she has been open about scaling back her role on the series in recent years. In 2022, she renegotiated her contract to appear in only a handful of episodes each season while remaining the show's narrator and an executive producer.

"I've been doing it for 20 years, so it was time to step away. I have three children and I love spending time with them and I love being involved in their lives," Pompeo told EL PAÍS in 2025.

But don’t get it twisted—that doesn't mean she's planning to leave Grey's Anatomy behind entirely. "That would make no sense, emotionally or financially," she explained. "The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024. More than a billion times." And beyond the financial aspect, Pompeo said the role still means something to her. "And emotionally, the show means a lot to people. I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show."

For now, ABC has not announced how many episodes Pompeo will appear in during Season 23. The season is expected to premiere fall 2026.

Beatriz Hatz is more than just a reality show star. The Love Island USA Season 8 cast member is also an accomplished Paralympic track and field athlete who just won a gold medal in the T64 women’s long jump competition at the USATF Outdoor National Championships 

This isn’t the first medal for the decorated athlete. Hatz competed in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games (where she won a bronze medal in the long jump). The track and field star talked candidly about her Paralympic experience, reliving her memories in a video for Team USA: “This photo. It makes me already emotional. I’m ugly crying on TV. It was so real at that moment when they handed me the flag.” 

Hatz has a rare birth defect—the congenital condition Fibular Hemimelia. The 25-year-old was born without a fibula in her right leg and underwent below-the-knee leg amputation surgery at 10 months of age. 

Beatriz Hatz on 'Love Island USA.' (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock via Getty Images)

Even though Hatz took time off from competing to appear on Love Island USA, she never stopped training. 

She talked toSports Illustrated, candidly revealing how she handled appearing on a reality show while wearing a prosthetic: “To me, I really don’t like to show my limb to people. Especially even like, much less on TV.  I would take my prosthetic off to sleep.”

Beatriz continued, “When I did do my workouts in my blade, I would sit down and put a towel over my leg and kind of switch into my blade, do a couple of like long jump drills or whatever in the grass. I did end up like showing some of the Islanders my long jump blade and kind of teaching them about it. And I thought that was probably one of the coolest experiences I had in there.”

Fellow Love Island USA Season 8 cast members Sean Reifel and Amora Robinson attended Bea’s latest track and field event, cheering the Islander on to her impressive gold medal win! 

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In anNBC Sports video posted on Instagram, Reifel and Robinson huddle in for a hug, telling Beatriz, “We’re so proud of you. That’s dope!” 

Sean applauds Hatz and gives the camera some stats: “Shout out Bea. First place. That 5.24 is a top jump. Followed by a 5.11, and that was after the 4.83, and then I think it was like a 4.87. She was like, I’m about to jump a little bit over five right here. So shout out Bea. She’s a monster.”

Amora also gives a major shout out to her friend, adding, “We love you. You’re so loved and talented. And you deserve everything amazing in the world.”