Rising pop star Benson Boone and actor/director Ben Stiller have teamed up to tape two hilarious '70s-themed ads for this year's Super Bowl. In two teaser clips posted on YouTube on Jan. 22 previewing the delivery service Instacart's Big Game campaign, the unlikely duo portray a European sibling musical duo with thick accents and even thicker shoulder pads on their shiny, green, '70s-inspired stage outfits. In both videos, they hilariously bicker, starting with a fight over Boone's pitchy harmony during an a cappella song about Instacart. "What are you, a mouse?" Stiller teases Boone in the first video. "Instacart, I am little boy who has a mustache." In the second video, the Stiller makes fun of his "little brother" for having a "little boy ahead," after which Boone hilariously mutters, "I hate you." At the end of the second clip, Stiller also promises fans that the pair are "going to perform for you." It's unclear what said performance will entail, but viewers can definitely expect to see the actor and Gen-Z musician's full ad at some point during the Super Bowl broadcast on Feb. 8, along with other celebrity partnerships such as Sabrina Carpenter's Big Game collaboration with Pringles and EJAE's Liquid I.V. commercial. - Billboard, 1/22/26...... 
Posting on Instagram on Jan. 23, Rod Stewart ripped into U.S. Pres. Donald Trump for a recent video the president shared on his social media suggesting that NATO troops avoided the front lines during the war in Afghanistan. "I may just be a humble rock star, I'm also a Knight of the realm and I have my opinions," Sir Rod said. "I was born just after the war (World War II) and I have great respect for our armed forces that fought and gave us our freedom. So it hurts me badly, deeply, when I read that the draft dodger Trump has criticized our troops in Afghanistan for not being on the front line." The "Maggie May" singer went on to highlight the sacrifices made by U.K. service members, noting that more than 400 British personnel served during the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan. "Think of their parents. Think about it," Stewart continued. "And Trump calls 'em almost like cowards. It's unbearable. So I'm calling on you, Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer and [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage. Please, make the draft dodger Trump apologize, please." Stewart, who was knighted in 2016, ended the clip by saluting the camera and walking off. Throughout the brief video, various words and phrases flashed across the screen, including "We shall never forget," "So disrespectful," "Honor them," "Disgraceful" and "Take a stand." In related news, Roger Waters has speculated that his political views and vocal opposition to Donald Trump could get him assassinated. During an interview on the podcast Piers Morgan Uncensored, Waters said: "It's a short step to all-out-total fascism, a complete police state. It's always insidious when it creeps up. It was insidious in Germany in the 30s. National Trumpism feels a bit less insidious, but its just as dangerous." The former Pink Floyd bassist/vocalist continued: "The method for taking over the state and for it becoming a totalitarian police state, its always the same -- it's always the identification of the other as the enemy. In Trump's case, its the Chinese, the Mexicans and Islam. With Hitler, it was the Jews, the Communists, the Gypsies [as well as] anyone who had a physical deformity [and] homosexuals." Meanwhile, former Sex Pistols member Glen Matlock has hit out at the "weird members of the punk community" who have embraced Donald Trump -- including his former Pistols bandmate John Lydon (né Johnny Rotten). Reflecting on the origins of his seminal punk-rock band on BBC Radio 4's Today show, Matlock said: "There was a lot going on, as [there] is today," reflecting how the early days of the band and more recent years have seen "the rise of the far-right." "I think we were trying to navigate our way through that, somehow, and have a laugh, stir things up a little bit," Matlock added, before telling host Amol Rajan that he finds it is strange to see a growing number of punks supporting right-wing politicians. His comments after his former bandmate Lydon previously described the current US president as "the Sex Pistols of politics." "It is kind of weird these days," he said. "I'm constantly surprised by how many punks I see on my Facebook that are pro-Trump. It's a bit weird." - Billboard/New Musical Express, 1/24/26...... 
Appearing on the BBC's Eras program on Jan. 26, Phil Collins gave fans another health update as he continues to face a number of challenges, explaining that his issues are "an ongoing thing." Collins, who turns 75 on Jan. 30, spoke candidly about the level of treatment he requires on a daily basis to keep him going after a 2007 spinal injury left him with myriad health challenges. "I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication, as I should do," he said. "I've had challenges with my knee," he continued. "Everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me I can walk, albeit with assistance -- crutches or whatever." The "In the Air Tonight" singer's update comes about six months after a rep confirmed that the musician was in the hospital for an operation on his knee, shutting down rumors at the time that the Genesis icon was in hospice. Collins has been battling medical challenges for nearly two decades now as a result of his spinal injury, which caused nerve damage and drop-foot. Since 2015, he's used a cane to walk and has had difficulty standing for long periods, much less getting behind the drumset. "It's still kind of sinking in," he said in the Dec. 2024 documentary Drummer First. "I've spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock." But in his latest interview with BBC, Collins gave fans a flicker of hope. Noting that his recent knee surgeries and sobriety have him feeling "totally mobile and healthy," Collins said he's hoping to "have a fiddle about" in the studio soon to "see if there's more music." He added, "You've gotta start doing it to see if you can do it." - Billboard, 1/23/26...... After the surprise release of his 13th solo album BRITPOP on Jan. 16, British pop star Robbie Williams has topped The Beatles' all-time record for the most UK Number One albums. In Jan. 23, the UK Albums Chart confirmed that the 26-year-old pop sensation's latest album was his 16th chart-topper of his solo career, which puts him ahead of the Fab Four, who scored 15 UK Number One albums. "This is unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable," Williams told BBC News. "I've always said my success has been the equivalent of stretching an elastic band from Stoke-on-Trent to the moon. Well, I reckon the elastic band just got longer, and now it's orbiting Venus." He added: "It's just sensational what has happened. I feel like the Forrest Gump of pop." Following Williams and The Beatles in the all-time list are The Rolling Stones (14), Taylor Swift (14), Elvis Presley (13), Madonna (12) and Bruce Springsteen (12). BRITPOP had been postponed from its original release date of Oct. 2025 to this February, however it was decided to release the album a few weeks earlier. Williams has sold a reported 80 million albums throughout his career to date, while The Beatles remain the best-selling act of all time with sales over an estimated 600 million. - NME, 1/23/26...... In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr's drummer son Zak Starkey has revealed that the notoriously quarrelsome Noel and Liam Gallagher brothers of alternative faves Oasis "never even argued once" while he sat behind the kit with the ban. Starkey, who was The Who's long term drummer until 2025, performed with Oasis from 2004-2008. During Starkey's tenure with the band Liam stormed offstage mid-way through "Champagne Supernova"' during the Heineken Jammin' Festival in Italy, in June 2005. Liam and Noel were also seen having having cross words in the band's 2007 documentary Lord Don't Slow Me Down during the "Don't Believe The Truth" world tour. Despite that, Starkey said they never argued in his company. "I played with them for five years, and all we did was laugh. They never even argued once. Not one time," he told the New York Post. "We toured for 140 shows. We made two great records. We rehearsed. We hung out all the time. Never one. Never one cross word in five years," he added, noting the brothers "never complained about anything, ever." Starkey had left the band before the bust up that led to their split in Paris in 2009, with Chris Sharrock taking up drumming duties. - NME, 1/21/26...... 
The Eagles continue to soar high into the 21st century as their 1976 hits collection Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 has become the first album to be certified quadruple diamond platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, marking 40 million units moved since the set's 1976 release and remaining the RIAA's biggest album in terms of U.S. sales and streams. The RIAA gives quadruple diamond certification to artists whose albums have moved 40 million units. The greatest-hits set -- which contains songs by the band's original lineup of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner as well as 1974 addition Don Felder across their first four albums -- spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart in 1976 and has spent a whopping 514 weeks overall on the all-genre albums chart. The track list includes "Take It Easy" (from 1972's Eagles), the title track from 1973's Desperado, "Take It to the Limit" (from 1975's One of These Nights), and the group's first-ever Billboard Hot 100 singles chart No. 1 hit "Best of My Love" (from 1974's On the Border). In addition to the Greatest Hits certification, the Eagles' 1976 album Hotel California has been upgraded to 28 times platinum, making it the RIAA's third-biggest album ever by U.S. sales and streams at 28 million units. (Michael Jackson's Thriller sits between the two Eagles projects as RIAA's second-biggest album, at 34 times platinum.) Hotel California spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200 in 1977 and includes the Hot 100-topping title track. - Billboard, 1/22/26...... '70s rockers Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Roger Daltrey, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton and Alice Cooper will feature in the first official Eddie Cochran documentary Don't Forget Me. Though his career was brief, the Minnesota-born Cochran was an essential force in early rock music from 1956 -- which marked his on-screen debut in the Jayne Mansfield-starring The Girl Can't Help It, where he oozed attitude while singing his rockabilly original "Twenty Flight Rock" -- until his untimely death on Apr. 17, 1960, while on tour in England with fellow rock legend Gene Vincent (both were involved in the same car accident, which Vincent survived). Directed by Kirsty Bell, Don't Forget Me was produced in partnership with the Cochran Family Estate, with the participation of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Universal Music Enterprises. The film's release details will be announced in the coming months. Also featured in the film will be Yungblud, Billy Idol, Linda Perry, Suzi Quatro and actor Kiefer Sutherland (who once was in talks to star in a film about Cochran), among others. - Billboard, 1/22/26...... 
The Beach Boys' long-shelved "Adult/Child" sessions are finally being released within the new boxset We Gotta Groove: The Brother Studio Years. The release focuses on the late Brian Wilson's return to group recording in the mid-to-late '70s, with a newly remastered edition of their 1977 LP The Beach Boys Love You, along with material from the 15 Big Ones sessions, Love You, and the Wilson-produced Adult/Child recordings that never received a full release. Posting on Instagram, the band said: "Introducing 'We Gotta Groove,' our latest box set. The collection is based around Brian Wilson's return to the group projects, and includes a newly remastered version of 'The Beach Boys Love You,' as well as key tracks from the '15 Big Ones' sessions, 'Love You,' and the unreleased Brian Wilson-produced 'Adult/Child' sessions. The package also spotlights studio outtakes, demos, and alternate mixes. Our newsletter subscribers sold out the pre-order with their VIP entry on our official store, so don't miss out on this limited re-stock!" To preview the project, The Beach Boys have shared a previously unheard outtake from The Beach Boys Love You titled "We Gotta Groove (2025 Mix)" on YouTube. The track was written and produced by Wilson. - Music-News.com, 1/22/26...... A guitar owned by Black Sabbath rocker Tony Iommi has raised £53,000 for a cancer charity. Iommi, 77, donated the instrument to the Heartlands Hospital Charity in his home city of Birmingham after the charity announced that it was fundraising to create a new state-of-the-art Haematology and Oncology Centre for cancer patients. Iommi, who himself has beaten the disease after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, said as he thanked fans for their support: "It'd be nice if other people can donate and support, to give patients the help they need. In December, we had a guitar raffled for Heartlands Hospital for their Cancer Unit and I'm glad to say it raised £53,000, which is amazing, thanks to you guys." "Thanks to this incredible donation we are well on our way to our fundraising goal of £150,000 and creating a beautiful space for patients to be comfortable while they receive their treatment," director of fundraising for Heartlands Hospital Charity Charlotte Schofield said in a statement. The guitar will be delivered to its new owner in the United States. - Music-News.com, 1/23/26...... Esteemed pop songwriter Diane Warren has become the third all-time Oscar nominee for Best Original Song. Warren's nod this year for "Dear Me," sung by Kesha in the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless, is her 17th -- a tally surpassed by only two other songwriters in the 92-year history of the category. Sammy Cahn leads with 26, followed by Johnny Mercer with 18. Moreover, this is the ninth year in a row Warren has been nominated, which enables her to set a new record for the most consecutive nominations in the history of the category. She surpasses Cahn, who was nominated eight years running from 1954 to 1961. Warren's previous nominations include songs recorded by the likes of Starship ("Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" from Mannequin (1987)); Celine Dion ("Because You Loved Me" from Up Close & Personal (1996)); Trisha Yearwood ("How Do I Live" from Con Air (1997)); and Aerosmith ("I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon (1998)). Diane Warren: Relentless features interviews with such beneficiaries of Warren's talents as Kesha, Cher, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Gloria Estefan and LeAnn Rimes. - Billboard, 1/22/26...... 
Sixty-seven years after they first made the U.S. hit parade with the classic "Shout - Part 1," The Isley Brothers will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ronald Isley (age 84) and Ernie Isley (age 73) will accept the honor Jan. 28 at 11:30 a.m. PT at 7051 Hollywood Blvd. Jon Platt, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Publishing, and Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Terry Lewis are set to speak at the ceremony. Melvin Robert, entertainment anchor at L.A. station KTLA, is set to emcee. The event will be streamed live exclusively at WalkOfFame.com. The Isley Brothers' biggest hits include "It's Your Thing," "That Lady (Part 1)" and "Fight the Power Part 1," all of which made the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. They have also landed two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 -- The Heat Is On in 1975 and Body Kiss (credited to the Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley) in 2003. The brothers have continued to tour in the 21st century, creating bonds with new generations of fans. Millions of people have visited the Walk of Fame cultural landmark, administered by The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, since 1960. - Billboard, 1/21/26...... Francis Buchholz, the former bassist for German hard rockers The Scorpions, has died at age 71. The musician's family announced the news in a Facebook post on Jan. 23, writing that, "It is with overwhelming sadness and heavy hearts we share the news that our beloved Francis passed away yesterday after a private battle with cancer. He departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love." The post, which did not reveal any additional details about the type of cancer Buchholz was diagnosed with, continued, "Our hearts are shattered. Throughout his fight with cancer, we stayed by his side, facing every challenge as a family - exactly the way he taught us. To his fans around the world - we want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty, your love, and the belief you placed in him throughout his incredible journey. You gave him the world, and he gave you his music in return. Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched." Born in Hanover, Germany on Feb. 19, 1954, Buchholz played a number of bands in his hometown before teaming up with future Scorpions guitarist Uli Roth in the group Dawn Road. The Scorpions were originally formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker with three of his high school pals: drummer Wolfgang Dziony, bassist Lothar Hemberg and lead/rhythm guitarist Karl-Heinz Vollmer. After a series of lineup changes, the band released its debut album, Lonesome Crow, in 1972, then broke up a short time later when Rudolf's younger brother, lead guitarist Michael Schenker, split to join the group UFO. During his 18-year stint with the hard rock group -- the best-selling band in German history -- Buchholz played on 12 albums, including their most commercially successful LPs, such as 1982's Blackout, featuring the urgent, early MTV hit "No One Like You," as well as their best-selling album in the U.S., 1984's No. 6-charting Love At First Sting. That LP blew the band up into international stardom thanks to the driving Billboard Hot 100 No. 25 hit "Rock You Like a Hurricane," as well as the yearning "Still Loving You" (No. 64). In a tribute to their late bandmate on Instagram, The Scorpions wrote, "we have just received the very sad news that our longtime friend and bass player, Francis Buchholz, has passed away. His legacy with the band will live on forever, and we will always remember the many good times we have shared together. Our hearts go out to Hella, his family, and friends. R.I.P. Francis."
The BBC is reporting that during the lawsuit brought by former The Police members Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland against ex-Police frontman Sting, it has been revealed that Sting has paid the pair over $800,000 (£598,000) in royalties since they filed a lawsuit in September. Lawyers representing the two are claiming that Sting owes them between $2 million (£1.5 million) and $10.75 million (£8 million) in unpaid royalties, and their claim could rise even higher, arguing that their "historic underpayment" did not include interest. Sting denies that they are entitled to a portion of his income from streaming or download sales of the hit Police songs he wrote, arguing those formats should be categorized as "public performance" rather than sales. Copeland and Summers did not receive writing credits on The Police's hits, which include "Every Breath You Take," a song that reportedly earns Sting £550,000 in royalties per year alone. Even though they are not credited, they claim that they are owed "arranger's fees" from the "digital exploitation" of the band's back catalog. Sting initially agreed to pay Summers and Copeland 15% of "some royalties" from the songs he wrote for the group. Their agreement was revised a number of times, most recently in 2016, and Sting's lawyers now argue that his former bandmates' lawsuit is an "illegitimate attempt" to reinterpret that agreement. Elsewhere, Sting is set to play a Super Bowl spinoff concert in San Francisco on Feb. 6, two days before the main show in Santa Clara, with a halftime performance by Bad Bunny. - New Musical Express, 1/18/26...... 
Roger Waters is standing by insensitive comments he made about Ozzy Osbourne shortly after the heavy metal legend's death in July 2025. "He was all over the TV for hundreds of years with his idiocy and nonsense," Waters said at the time during an interview with The Independent Ink podcast. "I don't care about Black Sabbath, I never did, I have no interest in biting the heads off chickens or whatever they do. I couldn't care less." The comments drew sharp criticism from Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne, who took to social media to call out the Pink Floyd co-founder for being "pathetic and out of touch," adding: "My father always thought you were a c-nt -- thanks for proving him right," as well as Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne, who said "He has no charisma, he looks like Frankenstein... The guy is sick in the head, he is not relevant in today's world... Nobody likes him" during an episode of The Osbournes podcast. Now, in a new interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Waters was asked about his remarks and whether he regretted saying them so soon after Osbourne's death. "Those comments, I'm not denying that I said them, came in the middle of a long interview," Waters admitted before defending them. "Do I have to like every rock group that ever was or people who bite the heads off bats?" Asked whether he would apologize to Sharon, Waters said that he would not. "I obviously had no idea that Sharon Osbourne would be watching a podcast," Waters replied. "Not that I have any time for Sharon Osbourne, she's a raging Zionist... and she's accused me of all kinds of things... because she's part of the Israeli lobby." As for the rest of the family, Waters said, "Listen, Jack... if he wants to have a chat, I'll have a chat with him. And I won't be nasty to him." Morgan's full interview with Waters can be streamed on X/Twitter. - NME, 1/18/26...... Brian May is insisting Queen won't be performing at the legendary UK Glastonbury festival in 2027 due to badger politics in the country. "I wouldn't do Glastonbury next year because of the politics of the people who run it, unless that changes, I won't do it," the guitarist and animal activist told the Daily Mail paper. "They like killing badgers, and they think it's for sport and that's something I cannot support because we've been trying to save these badgers for years, and they are still being killed for years, so that's the reason we're missing out on it," he added. Quizzed on whether Queen have repeatedly turned down Glastonbury appearances, Brian insisted they haven't been asked because of his views. "I don't think the conversation of us doing has ever taken place because they know how I feel," he said. May, 78, has previously been adamant that his group wouldn't play at the iconic festival because of his dispute with founder Michael Eavis over badger culling in the countryside. Dairy farmer Eavis, 90, previously branded May a "danger to farming" over his views on badger culling, which is done to prevent the spread of bovine TB. Cows infected with the debilitating disease are culled, and the entire herd can be at risk. While May has now reiterated his political stance on the festival, he previously admitted it is "not impossible" that Queen could play at Glastonbury. "I don't really want to endorse his festival, but it's not impossible that we could sit down and talk. I'll talk to anyone -- that's the way we go forward." - Music-News.com, 1/17/26...... 
Alice Cooper was the first interviewee on the critically acclaimed Rock & Roll High School podcast which launched its fifth season on Jan. 17. To open the season, host Pete Ganbarg sat down with the legendary shock-rocker for a wide-ranging interview that included such striking revelations as the creation of Cooper's quintessential teenage rebel track, "School's Out." Cooper recalled how the blueprint for a universal anthem came from watching The Who. "We understood what an anthem was after hearing 'My Generation,'" Cooper explained. "At the same time, everybody hated school. We thought, if you can capture the last three minutes of the last day of school before summer vacation, that would be a joyous song." The interview also touched on the surreal social circles of the '70s era. Cooper described his first meeting with his lifelong manager, Shep Gordon, as a "pot-induced haze" where the guest list included Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. "We used to be able to make a joint last for a week because that's all we could afford," Cooper mused. "And then here we were." In one of the more unexpected stories of his career, Cooper discusses his relationship with Frank Sinatra, who famously covered Cooper's ballad "You and Me." Sinatra's simple encouragement -- "You keep writing 'em kid and I'll keep singing 'em" -- remains a crowning moment in Cooper's storied legacy. Tkhe Rock & Roll High School podcast began as an internal music history seminar for Warner Music Group, and has since evolved into a premier destination for long-form, artist-to-artist storytelling. Upcoming episodes will feature interviews with the likes of Al Jardine (The Beach Boys), Darlene Love, Suzi Quatro and Don Was. - Music-News.com, 1/17/26...... Thousands of fans of late Grateful Dead co-founding guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir gathered at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on Jan. 17 to celebrate the life of the legendary artist, who died on Jan. 10 at age 78 after a battle with cancer. Musicians and Weir friends Joan Baez and John Mayer spoke on a makeshift stage after four Buddhist monks opened the event with a prayer in Tibetan. "Deadheads" with long dreadlocks and wearing tie-dye clothing -- some using walkers -- carried long-stemmed red roses, placing some at an altar filled with photos and candles, writing notes on colored paper, professing their love and thanking him for the journey. Several asked him to say hello to fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia and bass guitarist Phil Lesh, also founding members who preceded him in death. Garcia died in 1995; Lesh died in 2024. "I'm here to celebrate Bob Weir," said Ruthie Garcia, who is no relation to Jerry, a fan since 1989. "Celebrating him and helping him go home." Weir, a Bay Area native, joined the Grateful Dead -- originally known as the Warlocks -- in 1965 in San Francisco at just 17 years old. He wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Dead classics including "Sugar Magnolia," "One More Saturday Night" and "Mexicali Blues." He was generally considered less shaggy looking than the other band members, although he adopted a long beard like Garcia's later in life. A statement on Weir's Instagram account announced his passing Jan. 10. It said he beat cancer, but he succumbed to underlying lung issues. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, who were at the Jan. 17 event. His death was sudden and unexpected, said daughter Monet Weir, but he had always wished for the music and the legacy of the Dead to outlast him. American music, he believed, could unite, she said. "The show must go on," Monet said. Also paying tribute to Weir in an Instagram post on Jan. 15 was Sir Paul McCartney. "Bob Weir was a great musician who inspired many people of many generations," he wrote, alongside a photo of the two of them at a 2016 McCartney concert in Boston. Paul went on to write about their last meeting: "I last saw Bob when we went to the Sphere in Las Vegas to watch Dead and Co," he said. "He was very welcoming, and during the interval in the show he invited us into his trailer, and it was a special moment to meet his family and friends. Bob showed me the recording set up that he had in the back of the bus so even though he was on tour he could make and record music; I offered to play the bass on one of the tracks he played me but unfortunately that never came to pass." Macca closed by saying that he found Weir's sense of humor, friendship, and musicianship inspiring, and he sent condolences to Weir's family. - Billboard/NME, 1/17/26...... 
Keith Richards has teamed up with Gibson Guitars to launch a Custom 1960 ES-355 electric guitar. The new collaboration between the Rolling Stones legend and the iconic guitar manufacturer features two models: the Keith Richards 1960 ES-355 Collector's Edition, Signed Guitar and Label -- of which only 50 are available at $29,999 -- and the Keith Richards 1960 ES-355, Signed Label -- which is released in a limited run of 100, priced at $19,999. Richards has a long history with the model, having first used one in 1969 during the recording sessions for Sticky Fingers and later in 1972 for Exile on Main St. He's also played his black 1960 model on every Rolling Stones tour since 1997. The new recreations are exact replicas of Richards' own instrument, created using "advanced 3D scanning, period-correct materials and construction techniques" and "hand ageing" to mirror the original, per a press release. "This is my standard-tuning six-string; this is the other side of my thing," Richards shared in an interview about the collaboration. "My six-string stuff has always been, you know, a great Gibson - that's where I feel the most comfortable. And also with the sound. Put it through just about any amp, and it will sound the way you want it, because this has so much more room for expression." Fans can view the new models at the Gibson Garage locations in Nashville and London, and view them all online at Gibson.com. A video featuring Richards introducing the new 1960 ES-355 models can be viewed on YouTube. - NME, 1/16/26...... During a surprise appearance at the 2026 Light of Day benefit concert on Jan. 17, Bruce Springsteen delivered a pointed message to the recent controversial behavior of the US immigration agency ICE -- telling them to "get the f--k out of Minneapolis." "I wrote this song as an ode to American possibility," The Boss said as he introduced his 1978 song "Promised Land." "Right now we are living through incredibly critical times. The United States, the ideals and the values for which it stood for the past 250 years, is being tested like it has never been in modern times. Those values and those ideals have never been as endangered as they are right now." He continued, "If you believe in the power of law and that no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily-armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you don't deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, as the mayor of the city said: ICE should get the f--k out of Minneapolis. This song is for you and the memory of the mother of three and an American citizen, Renee Good." The Light of Day Winterfest, an annual nonprofit event that raises funds to combat Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, also featured performances by the Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik, Dramarama and Willie Nile, among others. - Billboard, 1/18/26...... 
As Dolly Parton turned 80 years old on Jan. 19, the country music queen and 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee shows no signs of slowing down. To mark the milestone birthday, Parton has released a new version of her 1977 single "Light of a Clear Blue Morning," with composer/producer David Foster on piano and fellow singers Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus and The Christ Church Choir on backing vocals. According to an Instagram post announcing the recording, proceeds from the song and music video will benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. A message posted on her website says the updated track "reimagines the song with a message of spreading love and hope." A message posted on her website says the updated track "reimagines the song with a message of spreading love and hope." "Originally written and recorded 50 years ago in 1976 during a period of personal transition and renewed optimism, Light of a Clear Blue Morning has long stood as one of Dolly's most inspirational works," a post on her site reads. "Now, five decades later, Dolly revisits the song for a new generation with a powerhouse lineup of female voices." Many of the artists Parton impacted have shared how the 10-time Grammy winner has influenced their lives and careers, including Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, and the governor of Dolly's home state, Gov. Bill Lee, has proclaimed Jan. 19 "Dolly Parton Day." "Her talent and generosity have made a lasting impact on the world, and it is fitting that we honor her 80th birthday by celebrating her remarkable legacy and dedication to the Volunteer State," he said in a statement. In Nov. 2025 Parton, who battled a series of health issues that year, told People: "If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, 'I ain't got time to get old!' I ain't got time to dwell on that. That's not what I'm thinking about." - Canoe.com, 1/19/26...... Rob Hirst, the drummer and co-founder of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil, passed away on Jan. 20 almost three years after being diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer. He was 70. "After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain - 'a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness,'" the band wrote on social media alongside two throwback photos of a young Hirst at the drum kit. "He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. The family asks that anyone wanting to honour Rob donate to @pankind_australia or @supportact." Midnight Oil formed in Sydney in 1972 under the original name Farm, before changing their name to Midnight Oil in 1976. The band, known for driving hits such as "Beds Are Burning" and "The Dead Heart," released 13 albums between their 1978 self-titled debut and their 2022 album Resist. They took a long hiatus between 2002 and their 2016 reunion, and embarked on their final tour in 2022. Outside of Midnight Oil, Hirst was also a member of bands including Ghostwriters, Backsliders, the Angry Tradesmen and the surf rock band The Break. Hirst, who went public with his health diagnosis last year, is survived by his wife Leslie Holland, their two daughters Alexandra and Gabriella, and his eldest daughter Jay O'Shea. - Music-News.com, 1/20/26...... 
Fashion designer Valentino Garavani, known for his high-glamour gowns -- often in his trademark shade of "Valentino red" -- died at home in Rome on Jan. 19, his foundation announced. He was 93. "Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision," the foundation said in a statement posted on social media. Universally known by his first name, Mr. Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. "I know what women want," he once remarked. "They want to be beautiful." Mr. Valentino was never one for edginess or statement dressing, and made precious few fashion faux-pas throughout his nearly half-century-long career, which stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. His fail-safe designs made him the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers' awards ceremony needs. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Juia Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue. Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino -- a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk -- when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2004. Mr. Valentino was also behind the long-sleeved lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Kennedy and Mr. Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time U.S. first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino. He was also close to the late Princess Diana, who often donned his sumptuous gowns. Mr. Valentino, who retired in 2008, has been the subject of several retrospectives, including one at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, which is housed in a wing of Paris' Louvre Museum. He was also the subject of a hit 2008 documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor, that chronicled the end of his career in fashion. His body will repose at the foundation's headquarters in Rome on Jan. 21 and 22. The funeral will be held on Jan. 23 at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome's Piazza della Repubblica. - Billboard, 1/19/26.
The music and entertainment data provider Luminate has released a list of the US' "most listened to songs" in 2025 from the past decades on the streaming platforms, and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" was the most played cut of the 1970s. "Dreams," according to the report, earned an enormous 387.4 million streams. The song enjoyed a resurgence in 2020 when it went viral on TikTok, and previously re-entered the US chart thanks to a popular meme. Meanwhile, Journey scored 2025's most popular song from the 1980s with "Don't Stop Believin'," with 263 million plays. The 1981 classic was named the biggest track of all time by Forbes in 2024, when it went 18x platinum. Creedence Clearwater Revival had the most played cut of the 1960s in the US in 2025, having racked up 136.7 million streams with 1969's "Fortunate Son." Hits by Goo Goo Dolls, The Killers, Chris Stapleton and Alex Warren were the most streamed songs from the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s, respectively. - NME, 1/15/26...... 
The so-called "secret daughter" of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has died at the age of 48. Identified only as "B," the woman's existence first came to light in May 2025 in the Mercury biography Love, Freddie written by Lesley-Ann Jones. Jones claimed Freddie kept a close relationship with "B" until his death in 1991, and that he would visit her regularly and give her 17 volumes of detailed personal journals. On Jan. 15, "B''s husband Thomas told the UK outlet Daily Mail that his wife died "peacefully after a long battle with chordoma, a rare spinal cancer" and has left behind "two sons aged nine and seven." Thomas also said that "B" was "now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts," and had her ashes scattered over the Alps. Lesley-Ann Jones also shared a statement following news of "B"'s death, telling The Indendent: "I am devastated by the loss of this woman who became my close friend, who had come to me with a selfless aim: to brush aside all those who have had free rein with Freddie's story for 32 years, to challenge their lies and their rewriting of his life, and to deliver the truth." Jones also alleges that the Queen songs "Don't Try So Hard" and "Bijou" were written about "B." When Love, Freddie was first released, it was believed that only Mercury's inner circle were aware of "B"'s existence. Mercury died in 1991, aged 45, of bronchial pneumonia caused by Aids. - New Musical Express, 1/15/26...... The Michael Jackson accuser Frank Cascio and his parents and siblings are protesting an effort by the Jackson estate to keep their claims behind closed doors. The family, who Jackson groomed, manipulated and molested them for decades -- from the late 1980s until his death in 2009 -- appeared in a Beverly Hills courtroom on Jan. 14 seeking to void a "purported settlement" with the estate that they describe as "an unlawful agreement to silence victims of childhood sexual abuse." Marty Singer, a lawyer for the estate, told the court that the Cascio family members signed an initial deal with the estate in Jan. 2020, then later re-negotiated it for "significantly more money upfront," and now are seeking to file a public lawsuit that would violate the arbitration and confidentiality clauses of the original pact. "We categorically dispute these claims," Singer told the court, referring to the claims Jackson subjected all five Cascio children to sexual abuse. "The reason this case is going forward is because there was an extortion demand of $213 million last summer." Mark Geragos, lawyer for the Cascios, told the court the family had felt coerced into signing the agreements. The rushed process was intended to, and did, in fact, take advantage of the Cascio siblings' shock and trauma upon realizing this had happened to all of them, unbeknownst to each other and contrary to what they had been told," Geragos wrote in a filing in Oct. 2025. Ironically, Geragos previously represented Jackson when the pop star was under criminal investigation for child molestation in 2003. The "Thriller" singer was charged and later acquitted at a trial in 2005. After hearing the Cascios' arguments, the judge declined to issue an immediate ruling on the estate's petition to force the family into confidential arbitration. - Music-News.com, 1/15/26...... 
Ten years after his passing, David Bowie is being remembered for a #163;10,116 donation toward a local hall car park in the quiet Warwickshire, UK village of Binley Woods. According to a report by the BBC, the unlikely connection began in 2014 when Norman Miller, then a member of the village hall committee, decided to write to Bowie with a bold request. Hoping to raise funds for a much-needed car park, Miller invited the "Thin White Duke" to perform a benefit concert at the humble village hall. While Bowie's son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, initially replied that his father was not taking on new work due to his health, Miller was undeterred. Over the next two years, he sent a steady stream of letters filled with family anecdotes, local football updates about the Coventry City "Sky Blues," and jokes. On Jan. 10, 2016 -- the day Bowie passed away -- Miller received an unexpected follow-up from Duncan. The family revealed that Miller's persistent correspondence had not been in vain; the letters and jokes had genuinely brightened David's final days. In a gesture of "marketing genius" and profound gratitude, the estate offered the village exactly £10,116 -- a figure reflecting the date of his death (10/1/16). "I went to the bank and showed them the letter," Miller told the BBC, admitting he originally feared it was a scam. "They said they'd opened an account with nothing in it, and then the money was transferred the day he died." Paul Salisbury chair of the parish council, confirmed the funds covered the crucial deposit for the construction. A decade later, the site remains affectionately known by locals as "the car park David Bowie paid for." Without that final gift, Salisbury notes, the project likely would have remained an unfinished jigsaw. It stands as a quirky, heartfelt testament to the power of a well-timed joke and the quiet generosity of the iconic "Thin White Duke." - Music-News.com, 1/12/26...... On Jan. 14 London's High Court began hearing a lawsuit brought against Sting by his former The Police bandmates claiming some $2 million in unpaid streaming royalties. Guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland are taking legal action against Sting (real name Gordon Sumner), arguing they are entitled to the added royalties. None of the band members was in court at the start of a two-day preliminary hearing. Sting is contesting the pair's claim that they are entitled to "in excess of two million US dollars" in so-called performance royalties of songs recorded as The Police, according to the court documents. None of the band members was in court at the start of a two-day preliminary hearing. The plaintiffs are relying on a nearly 50-year-old verbal agreement stipulating that each member of the group should receive 15% of the royalties generated by the other members' compositions. As the trio's composer of all the band's hits, from "Roxanne" to "King of Pain," Sting receives by far the largest share of the group's royalties. The original agreement acknowledged the, at times, crucial contributions of the other two members, such as Summers' guitar arpeggios on The Police's biggest hit, "Every Breath You Take." The verbal agreement reached in 1977 was later formalized through a written agreement in 1981. A further agreement reiterated, albeit vaguely, the terms in 1997, before the existence of streaming. The dispute concerns the classification of revenue generated from services such as Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music for the purpose of royalty distribution. But only mechanical royalties are included in the 2016 agreement, something Summers and Copeland consider contrary to the spirit of the original 1977 agreement. The pair are demanding their share of all streaming revenue. Representatives for Sting, who sold his catalogue to Universal in 2022 for a reported $250 million, have called the legal action an "illegitimate" attempt to reinterpret the agreement. - AFP, 1/14/26...... 
After the Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney released two successful solo albums, but then formed Wings as an attempt to get back into a band setting. Following a slightly rocky start, Wings went on to become a phenomenally successful unit during its 10-year run with such his as "Band on the Run," "My Love," "Jet" and "Live and Let Die," and scoring five No. 1 albums in the US before disbanding in 1981. Now a new Wings documentary from Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville, Man on the Run, has been released that chronicles Macca's journey in forming Wings with his wife Linda McCartney and features previously unseen and rare archival footage. In the official trailer for the Amazon Prime documentary, Sir Paul reveals the motivation behind forming Wings: "It was about trying to do something different," he says. "When we started Wings, it was about freedom." The group's music wasn't well-received when it was first released, leading McCartney to declare, "I'm going to make the best record you've ever heard." Within years, the band was filling stadiums and routinely topping the charts. Paul also addresses his relationship with John Lennon, saying they were "growing apart," by the time the Beatles split, "But we loved each other all our lives." Man on the Run premieres on Prime Video on Feb. 27 and includes new interviews with McCartney, as well as archival footage of Linda, Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, among others. The film follows McCartney's book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, which came out in Nov. 2025, as well as the eponymous hits collection Wings, which was released on limited-edition vinyl and on streaming outlets. - Billboard, 1/14/26...... After undergoing successful surgery for a lung cancer scare, Barry Manilow has announced six new shows for 2026. The "Mandy" singer announced the news in a Jan. 13 Instagram post, and arrives after the Grammy winner revealed days before Christmas that he had been diagnosed with stage one lung cancer. "Barry is feeling great - so great that he's decided to add six additional concerts to his existing March schedule," the caption reads. A press release also noted that the singer's "operation went well and his medical team is optimistic." The six new shows -- which will all be held at arenas at the beginning of March -- are set to hit Charlotte, N.C.; Norfolk, Va.; Baltimore; Cincinnati; Nashville; and Lexington, Ky. The press release notes that these will be "his final concerts in these cities." But even more good news for fans was shared: the presser also said that Manilow is set to release new music in 2026. When Manilow -- who released his latest song, "Once Before I Go," in Sept. 2025 -- shared his cancer diagnosis with fans in December, he also postponed all of his January shows. His first show back after surgery will now take place Feb. 27 at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., with the shows continuing through the end of April, wrapping up on the 29th at Gas South Arena in Duluth, Ga. In revealing his diagnosis, the singer shared that he had been recovering from bronchitis when his doctor ordered an MRI of his lungs just to be safe -- and that's when a cancerous spot was found on his left lung. "The doctors do not believe it has spread and I'm taking tests to confirm their diagnosis," he said in his statement at the time. "So, that's it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns." - Billboard, 1/13/26...... After prevailing in a royalty war lawsuit with the late Sonny Bono's wife Mary Bono, Cher is asking a federal judge to force Mary to cover her $1 million legal tab. Cher and her lawyers say Mary should pay the bill because she tried to "misuse" the termination provisions of the Copyright Act to illegally "obtain a windfall" at Cher's expense. They claim Mary then "dragged this case out for five years by taking patently unreasonable positions." In the divorce settlement, Sonny had assigned Cher a 50% share of his composition royalties for the couple's '60s and '70s hit songs including "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On." Cher also got a 50% share of the musical recordings they made together. But Cher's grant was untouchable, the judge found. "Defendant argued, repeatedly and frivolously, that a federal statute that expressly states it does not affect state-law rights somehow extinguishes those state law rights," the new motion for legal fees states. "Cher prevailed completely." Cher's new motion for fees says she was forced to run up a bill of over $1 million with her lawyers to successfully defeat Mary's "improper attempt at termination." Sonny died in a skiing accident in 1998, leaving Mary in charge of his estate. His music publishing grants became eligible for termination beginning in 2018. A hearing on Cher's request for the fees is set for Feb. 23. - Music-News.com, 1/14/26...... 
ABBA's latest crowning achievement is scoring its first No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart with its 1992 greatest hits release, Gold: Greatest Hits, nearly 50 years after the group first topped a Billboard chart. Gold: Greatest Hits, which includes many of the quartet's most enduring hits -- among them "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia" and "Take a Chance on Me" -- is ABBA's first career No. 1 on the Dance Chart ranking. The collection leads the current chart with 15,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the Jan. 2-8 tracking week, according to Luminate. Beyond the dance charts, Gold: Greatest Hits has also been a mainstay on the all-format Billboard 200. The set has spent 411 weeks on the chart and counting -- it sits at No. 80 on the chart currently -- making it by far the longest-charting album of ABBA's catalog. The group's next longest-charted release, the earlier Greatest Hits, spent 61 weeks on the chart in 1976-79. Meanwhile in other chart action, Fleetwood Mac's 1975 track "Landslide" has debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 pop songs chart, debuting at No. 41 on the Jan. 17-dated chart. "Landslide," from Fleetwood Mac's self-titled 1975 10th studio album, hits the Hot 100 following its placement in the series finale of Netflix's Stranger Things, released Dec. 31. It generated 7 million official U.S. streams (up 43% week over week), 888,000 radio audience impressions (up 10%) and 1,000 downloads sold (up 15%) Jan. 2-8, according to Luminate. The album was the group's first project featuring Stevie Nicks as a vocalist and Lindsey Buckingham as a guitarist. Nicks solely wrote the song and delivers its lead vocals. Despite becoming one of the band's most enduring compositions, "Landslide" was never issued as an official single during its original run. Still, it remained a staple of the band's live performances, as well as Nicks' solo tours. A live version was released as a single in 1997, following its inclusion on the band's album The Dance. That rendition debuted on the Hot 100 in July 1998 and peaked at No. 51 that August, while also reaching No. 10 on Adult Contemporary and No. 26 on Adult Pop Airplay. - Billboard, 1/13/26...... Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne says his late dad is visiting his family members in identical dreams. In a new interview with host Billy Morrison on his Sirius XM show Influenced,, Jack said that he keeps seeing Ozzy in his dreams. "We all keep having dreams about him. In the dreams, he is laughing," Jack said. "And he is saying, 'Just stop f---ing crying'. He's laughing every time. Me and my wife, my daughters, all the same thing. We keep seeing him in our dreams, laughing." Morrison also confirmed that he'd been visited by Ozzy during his dreams too, sharing, "I've seen him. He's good, Jack. He's not in pain." Ozzy passed away in July 2025 at the age of 76 from a heart attack and had been in poor health beforehand, suffering from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's. Jack's Influenced interview has been shared on Instagram. - NME, 1/11/26...... Sir Tom Jones has issued a stark warning to his global fanbase regarding a rise in "sad and disheartening" online scams. According to a report by the BBC, the 85-year-old Welsh crooner took to social media to alert followers about sophisticated fraudsters using fake profiles to impersonate him and his management team. Sir Tom used his official Instagram account to urge the public to remain vigilant. Posting a high-contrast message -- a black screen with red text -- Jones clarified that he does not personally or directly communicate with individuals through private messaging on any social platform. "It is sad and disheartening to hear of these scammers attempting to trap and abuse vulnerable people," the "She's A Lady" singer stated. He further emphasized that any account attempting to initiate a private chat is a fake and should be reported and blocked immediately, noting that such accounts are designed to "trap and abuse" unsuspecting fans. Similar warnings were issued by Jones's team in late 2024 following reports of fans being swindled out of thousands of pounds. The BBC notes that the National Fraud Helpline frequently sees criminals leverage celebrity status or fake endorsements to bypass the natural defenses of the public. By impersonating a figure as beloved as Sir Tom, scammers exploit a sense of personal connection to gain financial information or personal data. The singer's message was clear: "This will not be Sir Tom Jones or his team. Please be careful and stay safe online." UK authorities continue to advise social media users to look for official verification badges (the "blue tick") and to never share financial details with anyone claiming to be a celebrity online. - Music-News.com, 1/12/26...... 
NBC has announced it plans to revisit one of its iconic 1970s series with a reported new reboot now in development. The network has ordered a pilot for a new The Rockford Files project, signaling a possible return of the classic TV private detective to primetime. The project is a contemporary update of the original Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins series that aired on NBC from 1974 to 1980 and featured James Garner. The new version is written by Mike Daniels and comes from Universal Television. The logline states: "Newly paroled after doing time for a crime he didn't commit, James Rockford returns to his life as a private investigator using his charm and wit to solve cases around Los Angeles. It doesn't take long for his quest for legitimacy to land him squarely in the crosshairs of both local police and organized crime." The pilot is said to be a drama and part of its broader return to traditional pilot season. The announcement marks NBC's first pilot order for the 2026 broadcast cycle, and the network reportedly plans to develop 3-4 dramas and 2-3 comedies in the upcoming season. Universal TV previously attempted to remake the series with a 2010 pilot written by David Shore, produced by Steve Carell, and featuring Dermot Mulroney. The studio also developed a film version with Vince Vaughn, which did not move forward. - ComingSoon.net, 1/14/26...... Former Little House on the Prairie star has deactivated her social media accounts after New Mexico authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of her husband, West Wing and Thirtysomething actor Timothy Busfield. As of Jan. 11, Gilbert's official Instagram and Threads pages are unavailable. The Instagram account for the actress's lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie, remains active however. This latest update comes after Albuquerque police issued a warrant for Busfield's arrest, citing two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse. In the document obtained and reviewed by EntertainmentWeekly.com, Albuquerque police officer Marvin Brown wrote that two child actors, 11-year-old twin brothers who worked with Busfield on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, alleged that he inappropriately touched them, with one of them claiming that Busfield rubbed his genitals and touched his buttocks on set. One of the minors alleged that the incidents began when he was 7 years old. Weeks before the warrant was issued, Gilbert addressed the subject of child sexual abuse while condemning conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly's incendiary comments about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Responding to the #IWasFifteen social media trend, Gilbert shared photos of herself on the Little House set and wrote, "I debated posting this, but I feel compelled to share. After seeing many women's posts with the hashtags #iwasfifteen #imfifteen #iwasachild, I decided to Google-search myself at that age and see what came up. And this is some of what I found." Gilbert drew attention to several photos of her embracing and kissing another cast member who was eight years older when they starred as love interests; he was 23 and Gilbert was 15. Busfield, who has denied the current allegations and promised to "defend these lies," faced two prior accusations of sexual assault, per the warrant, neither of which resulted in a criminal charge: one from a 17-year-old extra in 1994 who ultimately settled a lawsuit against the actor, and the other from a 28-year-old woman who accused him of groping her whose case was never prosecuted due to "slim evidence." - Entertainment Weekly, 1/11/26...... 
The "long, strange trip" of Bob Weir came to an end on Jan. 10 after the Grateful Dead guitarist/singer/songwriter died of an underlying lung condition after battling cancer. He was 78. "It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues," his family announded via his Instagram account. The statement went on, "For over 60 years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music." Diagnosed with cancer in July 2025, Weir began treatment weeks before returning to the stage for a three-night celebration of 60 years of music at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Calif. "Those performances, emotional, soulful, and full of light, were not farewells, but gifts," his family shared. "Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design. There is no final curtain here, not really. Only the sense of someone setting off again. And so we send him off the way he sent so many of us on our way: with a farewell that isn't an ending, but a blessing. A reward for a life worth livin'." Weir's Dead & Company bandmate John Mayer, who formed the band with Weir in 2015, also paid tribute following his death, posting a black-and-white photo of the musician on Instagram on Jan. 11 and writing a short but poignant tribute. "Okay Bob. I'll do it your way. Fkn' A... Thanks for letting me ride alongside you. It sure was a pleasure (sic)," he wrote. "If you say it's not the end, then I'll believe you. I'll meet you in the music. Come find me anytime," he added. The original line-up of Dead & Company featured former Grateful Dead members Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, as well as Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. The band, which primarily performed Grateful Dead covers, went on several tours and even embarked on a Las Vegas residency. They last performed in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to celebrate the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary in Aug. 2025, marking Weir's final live shows. Hart, longtime drummer for Grateful Dead and Dead & Company, also paid tribute to Weir, describing him as "a little brother to me for almost sixty years." "He was my first friend in the Grateful Dead. We lived together, played together, and made music together that ended up changing the world," he said in a Facebook post. "What was a lifetime of adventure boils down to something simple -- we were family and true to the music through it all... Still cannot believe he's gone. I miss you so much already, dear friend." Hart and Kreutzmann are now the last surviving original members of the Grateful Dead. Weir was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 1994, and was a Kennedy Centre Honoree in 2024. He is survived by his wife, Natascha, and their two daughters. - Music-News.com, 1/11/26.
Neil Young has kicked off 2026 with a scorching editorial of his longtime nemesis, Pres. Donald Trump. Posting on his 
Fifty-five years after The Doors released their 1971 classic "Riders on the Storm," surviving Doors John Densmore and Robby Krieger have reunited to re-create the song with musicians from across the globe as part of Playing for Change's annual Songs Around the World project. Contributing musicians include Don Was, Rami Jaffee, Sierra Ferrell, Aaron White, Micah Nelson, and Micah's brother Lukas Nelson. "Vocally, Lukas Nelson filled Jim Morrison's leather pants quite well!" Densmore says in a statement. "Ray would be proud of the way Rami Jaffee 'channeled' the piano solo. Mark Johnson masterminded a beautiful video." Adds Krieger: "Seeing musicians from different cultures come together around this song means a lot. Playing for Change is doing important work to unite people across the globe." Over the past two decades, Playing for Change has teamed up such rock icons as Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, Bono, Buddy Guy, David Crosby, Steve Miller, Tom Morello, Ringo Starr, Bunny Wailer, and many others, racking up over 2 billion YouTube views. Songs to get the Playing for Change treatment have included "Fly Like an Eagle," "The Weight," "No Woman No Cry," "Peace Train," and "When the Levee Breaks." The Doors, meanwhile, spent the past year celebrating the group's 60th anniversary. Densmore is largely retired from the road, but Krieger continues to keep the band's music alive on concert stages, and has announced a special 80th birthday gig at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles on Mar. 28. The new "Riders on the Storm" video has been shared on 
ZZ Top, famed for their elaborate facial hair over the years (ironically barring clean shaven drummer Frank Beard), have been rumored for many years to have turned down a hefty sum of money to shave off their distinctive beards. Now in a new interview, ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons has confirmed that it's true. Speaking during a recent appearance on the 
Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones has announced he is auctioning off a range of studio equipment, and it includes an amp that was blown after being left at Dave Grohl's house. The auction is being organized by a UK company called Soundgas, which specializes in the sale of vintage and rare recording equipment and instruments. According to a description, the Zeppelin legend is wanting to sell much of his gear because, while he "is still very active musically -- writing, recording and performing," he "but no longer requires so much studio equipment." It goes on to state that Jones has owned most of the items going to sale since they were brand new, and is letting go of them as "he feels it should be in the hands of people who will put it to good use." "It is offered here without formal provenance, with the intention that it continues to be used as intended," the description reads. Among the items up for grabs is a a rare Simmons SDS V electronic drum kit, a pair of AKAI digital samplers, a pair of Yamaha NS-10M speakers, and a sought-after Arbiter Soundimension mechanical echo unit that dates back to the '60s. One eye-catching item listed is also a Guild Thunderbass amplifier, which was used by the iconic bassist during his time with the supergroup, Them Crooked Vultures. The band comprised Jones, Foo Fighters' frontman Grohl and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, and a description for the amp says it was left at Grohl's house where it went out on a loan, and returned to Jones with the speakers blown. Despite it being worse for wear, the amp -- which is currently untested -- is predicted to sell for roughly £1,300. Soundgas has clarified that the items going to auction are from the artist's own private studio and were not used with Led Zeppelin. Meanwhile, Jones has written a 20-minute composition for mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly, which was performed for the first time on Jan. 7 at London's Wigmore Hall. - NME, 1/6/26..... Former KISS drummer Peter Criss has said him beating cancer was a "miracle." Speaking to the 
Ted Nugent has kicked off the new year slamming his fellow Detroit musicians Tom Morello and Jack White. The comments came during one of Nugent 
Co-founding Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen has revealed that he is working on a new album with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. "I'm getting ready to do this record with Lukather and a couple of other people," Alex said on the Metal Sticks podcast hosted by Iron Maiden's Nick McBrain. "It should be exciting." Van Halen did not elaborate whether the new project will be a VH album proper or a side project. VH's last studio effort was 2012's A Different Kind of Truth, and have been inactive since Eddie Van Halen's death from complications from throat cancer in 2020 at the age of 65. Reports of a potential Van Halen/Lukather collaboration first surfaced in 2025, with Alex saying: "[Eddie] and Steve Lukather were very good friends and they often worked together. There is no one who can do this process with me as well as he can." Alex has said in the past that there are "three or four" more VH records to be made from the music that is saved in the band's vault: "There was some good stuff in there. And you have to remember, when in the thick of it, sometimes the really great stuff kind of passes you by. And it's not until you revisit it going, 'Whoa, I forgot about that. This kicks ass.' But that takes time. And you wanna do it right. I wanna do it right." Alex's most recent projects include the release of the full six-minute version of "Unfinished," the final song he wrote with Eddie, in 2024 as part of the release of the audiobook of his memoir Brothers. - New Musical Express, 1/4/26...... Barry Manilow's legion of fans received some good news on Jan. 2 when the "Copacabana" hitmaker shared a positive update of his recent health struggle on 
Billy Joel surprised fans in Florida on Jan. 2 by delivering his first performance since revealing in May 2025 that he has normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a type of brain disorder. Joel, 76, joined the Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles at a village amphitheater in Wellington, Fla., which was celebrating its 30th anniversary, and teased throughout the show that a "special guest" would appear. The Piano Man joined Turnstiles onstage accompanied by his wife, Alexis Roderick, and their two daughters, Della and Remy. After asking for permission to use the microphone, Joel performed "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot," while his daughters danced beside him. Following his NPH announcement, Joel canceled all scheduled concerts to begin physical therapy to manage his symptoms, performing his last full concert in Feb. 2025. NPH occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the skull and puts pressure on the brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The condition can affect thinking, memory, balance and movement, and is often treated with a surgically implanted shunt to drain excess fluid. In July 2025, Billy appeared on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, telling the comedian he was feeling okay but noted that his condition was ongoing. "It's not fixed... it's still being worked on," he said. "My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat. [My condition] used to be called 'water on the brain.' Now it's called normal pressure hydrocephalus." Fan-captured footage of Joel's performance can be streamed on 
Streams of the Prince hits "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" have more than doubled on Spotify.com following the finale of hit Netflix show Stranger Things. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things was broadcast on New Year's Day and saw the heroic group of Hawkins residents come together one last time, on the anniversary of Will Byers' disappearance, to battle Venca and destroy The Upside Down for good. Alongside the star-studded cast, including Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder, David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown, the series also came with an impressive soundtrack featuring '80s hits from the likes of Prince, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, ABBA, Kate Bush and more. According to Variety, since the last episode debuted, "Purple Rain" has seen a 243% increase in global streams and a 577% surge in global "Generation Z" streams specifically. "When Doves Cry" also saw a 200% boost in global streams, as well as a 128% increase in Gen Z streams, while overall streams of Prince's catalogue have climbed 190%, with an 88% increase in solely Gen Z streams. Other big musical moments spurned by the finale included the classic David Bowie single 'Heroes' playing out as the final song of the entire series. - NME, 1/3/26...... The end of an era for music videos ended on Dec. 31 when cable TV's MTV channel closed down their remaining dedicated music video channels, ending with the Buggles "Video Killed The Radio Star." The network closed its final 24-hour music video stations across the UK, with MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live all being removed from platforms like Sky and Virgin Media. The flagship MTV channel will remain active in the UK, and it is expected to continue to primarily broadcast reality series. The flagship MTV channel will remain active in the UK, and it is expected to continue to primarily broadcast reality series. As a sign-off, they played the video for 1979 new wave classic by the Buggles, a symbolic choice at it was also the first video that MTV ever aired when it launched in the US in 1981. MTV's parent company, Paramount Skydance, has also shuttered the same channels in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Hungry, Australia and Brazil. After the launch of MTV in 1981, its counterpart channel MTV Europe followed in 1987 -- opening with Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" -- and MTV UK arrived in 1997. That channel stopped showing music videos in 2011. MTV quickly became a staple of pop culture after its launch, and was tied to countless historic moments in music, including the world premiere of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and the 16-hour broadcast of the Live Aid concerts in 1985. There has been a marked shift in viewing habits since the channels' heyday, with music videos now more commonly consumed on YouTube and social media rather than television. When Paramount Global merged with Skydance Media in an $8 billion deal in Aug. 2025, CEO David Ellison was said to be eager to cut costs, but was considering ways to revitalize MTV, and there has been speculation that there have been discussions about turning it into an online streaming service to rival YouTube and Spotify. - NME, 1/1/26...... 
Stevie Wonder's 1972 hit