This Week In Entertainment News 21 August 2026
Music and entertainment news from Australia and around the world, plus new releases and tour updates.
American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died aged 36. Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, said emergency crews responded to a cardiac arrest call on August 16, with officials reporting no signs of trauma while the cause of death remains under investigation. Tributes have since flowed for the former child star, whose screen credits also included ‘Remember the Titans’, ‘Bring It On: All or Nothing’ and the ‘Scream’ franchise.
Christian metal band Demon Hunter is taking Netflix to court over its blockbuster animated hit ‘KPop Demon Hunters’, alleging trademark infringement and consumer confusion as the franchise expands into music, merchandise and live touring. The band’s company, Hyde Lane, claims the title has blurred the line between the long-running Seattle outfit and Netflix’s global pop phenomenon, while the streamer says the allegations are without merit.
Paramount Skydance is asking a U.S. judge to make states challenging its Warner Bros Discovery takeover post a $1.88 billion bond, warning delays to the $110 billion deal could cost it millions in daily fees if the merger misses its September 30 deadline.
ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died aged 77, with the band confirming the longtime rhythm powerhouse passed away in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, surrounded by family. Beard spent more than five decades driving the blues-rock trio’s signature sound on classics including ‘La Grange’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’, with Billy Gibbons remembering him as “a great friend and collaborator” whose backbeat helped keep ZZ Top on top.
New Orleans sludge-metal supergroup Down will release ‘Volume V’, their first full-length album in almost 20 years, on November 20 through Nuclear Blast Records. The record reunites Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower and Pat Bruders for a long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s ‘Down III: Over the Under’, with lead single ‘Blood Oath’ offering fans the first taste of the band’s revived Southern heaviness.
Following a three-and-a-half-year break, Melbourne’s Loose Bricks have made their return an impactful one, serving up their first taste of a new musical chapter with fresh single ‘Another Day’. For the group of musicians and best mates, this is a stride forward into new territory, embracing maturity in both perspective and songwriting skills; pouring themselves back into the artistry that has earned them a strong following right around the country.
Ahead of their upcoming EP Said And Done set for release on September 10th, Naarm/Melbourne outfit MUNROE have today shared the final single from the project titled ‘For Fiona’; a bright, shimmering piece of melancholic alt-folk, drenched in Australiana. ‘For Fiona’, according to the band, is “a song about renewal, acceptance, and moving forward.”
Just days after announcing their debut Australian tour, Japanese alt-rock Band MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS have sold out their Sydney and Melbourne shows. Fans who missed out on initial tickets can experience the Kobe-formed outfit’s high-energy live shows at upgraded venues, with the Sydney show relocating from Crowbar to Metro Theatre, and Melbourne shifting from The Night Cat to Northcote Theatre. Tickets to the Brisbane show at Crowbar are selling fast. Taking place in February 2027, the East Coast run hit venues in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, giving fans the opportunity to experience the band’s influential catalogue while also bringing new members into their global, cultlike following as well.
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Across three decades, Harbourlife has remained one of Sydney’s defining summer events. Returning to Fleet Steps at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Saturday 21 November, the 2026 edition arrives with a new visual identity, a bigger and better sound than ever before and a lineup spanning global house icons and the names shaping dancefloors right now. Harbourlife 2026 line-up features: Honey Dijon, Max Dean, Luke Dean, Ben Sterling, Omar+, Honeyluv, Jordan Brando, Morgan Seatree, Bella Backe, and Samantha Loveridge (Aus).
September 2026 will see multi-Platinum selling US duo MKTO touring Australia and New Zealand and as the countdown to the tour enters its final weeks, a very limited number of tickets remain for select shows across the board.
Hip-hop and pop-culture sensation Baker Boy today releases Djandjay (Deluxe), the expanded 17-track edition of his acclaimed album DJANDJAY, featuring two previously unreleased songs, ‘Yolŋu Fever’ and ‘Disappear’ feat. BVT. The release follows Baker Boy’s return to Yolŋu Country for a landmark performance at Garma Festival and a remarkable three-award sweep at the 2026 National Indigenous Music Awards.
