2026 MTV Video Music Awards Nominations: See the Complete List, Including Madonna and Taylor Swift

• Musician and songwriter Duncan Sheik died at the age of 56. • Sheik composed the music for the Broadway musical "Spring Awakening," which won eight Tony Awards and ran for over 860 performances.

• The fantasy series The Pendragon Cycle rose to the second most-watched show on Prime Video in the US as of Wednesday. • The show ranks behind only the Amazon original series Reacher across all movies and streaming content on the platform.

• Millions of streaming viewers are experiencing decision fatigue, a mental exhaustion caused by having too many choices when selecting a show. • The feeling of picking a program has shifted from entertainment to feeling like another task on a nightly to-do list.

• The rise of streaming has led to music traveling farther and faster than ever before, with global access to various genres and artists. • Randy Dominguez, Executive Producer of The Jersey Sound, is documenting New Jersey's music culture through interviews, features, and coverage of emerging musicians, highlighting the local scene.

• Independent films and surprise releases are challenging the dominance of major franchises at the box office. • Viewers are increasingly rewarding creative risk over routine formulas, shifting the focus from star power to cultural relevance.

• Members of Parliament on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee are investigating how the UK selects its Eurovision song entries. • The committee will examine whether song choices, stage performances, or the selection process are responsible for the country's poor results.

• Former child star Frankie Muniz shared on social media that the last six weeks of his life have been a nightmare he is praying to wake from. • Muniz described this current period as a heavy chapter in his life.

• Singapore Minister Josephine Teo proposed new AI safety regulations to ensure trust in technology reliance. • The proposal emphasizes that trust is an essential requirement for people and businesses to rely on artificial intelligence.

• Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts accused Thai soldiers of stealing antiquities and damaging infrastructure at the Prasat Khnar temple in Oddar Meanchey province. • The ministry stated that Thai forces illegally removed cultural artifacts from the site and transported them to Thailand.

• Clay Aiken stated he felt he "died inside" after Rosie O'Donnell inadvertently revealed his sexual orientation on The View in 2006. • The incident occurred during a televised feud between O'Donnell and Kelly Ripa.

• Lady Gaga and her fiancé Michael Polansky welcomed a baby girl earlier this year. • The child's name reportedly features a connection to the singer's album and song Born This Way.

• European stock markets opened higher on Thursday morning despite a decline on Wall Street. • Major indices including France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX 30 traded between 0.2% and 0.7% higher than their Wednesday close.