After weeks of teasers on the web and billboards across the globe, The Rolling Stones officially announced on May 5 that their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, will be released on July 10 with core members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood joined by a diverse list of guest artists including Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Robert Smith (The Cure) and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Ahead of the LP, the band has released two tracks from the project on Spotify.com: album opener "Rough and Twisted" and lead single "In the Stars," as well as an official Foreign Tongues trailer on YouTube. The trailer shows the trailer and producer Andrew Watt, who also helmed the band's 2023 effort Hackney Diamonds, working hard -- and goofing off -- in the studio. The full project was created in less than a month at Metropolis Studios in West London, with Jagger describing it as "a very intense few weeks recording... we went as fast as we could" with Wood adding "the atmosphere in the room was so creative... The whole band was on top form throughout the whole process. Very often we nailed it on the first take. I hope everyone loves it." Meanwhile in other Stones news, ABKCO Music, which owns the Stones' early catalog, has settled with Behr Paint company over an in Instagram advertisement that allegedly featured an unlicensed version of the Stones' 1966 hit "Paint It, Black." Lawyers for both parties filed a joint notice of settlement ending the lawsuit on May 4. ABKCO sued Behr in Nov. 2025, alleging the paint company didn't pay to use "Paint It, Black" in a 2022 Instagram ad that showed a person spray-painting furniture. The lawsuit stated that the song, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in 1966, is "one of the most valuable copyrights in the history of popular music." Behr broadly denied all wrongdoing in an initial response to the claims. Terms of the resolution were not disclosed, though ABKCO alleged in its complaint in 2025 that synch licenses for "Paint It, Black" typically fetch fees between the hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars. Neither party has commented on the settlement so far, and the band is not involved in the ligigation. - Billboard, 5/5/26...... 
On May 4 the Eagles added more 2026 dates to their Sphere residency in Las Vegas, extending their run as the artist with the most dates overall at the innovative immersive venue to 64 shows. The legendary California country rock band kicked off their latest Sphere stint in Sept. 2024, adding dates a handful at a time and setting the record for the most shows with the announcement of the February dates in Oct. 2025 at 52. The previous record belonged to Dead & Co. at 48 shows. They began their 2026 Sphere residency on Jan. 23, playing a total of 14 shows in January, February, March and April. The new dates will extend their run into the fall: Sept. 18-19, Nov. 13-14 and Nov. 27-28. The current lineup includes sole remaining original member Don Henley along with bassist Timothy B. Schmit, Joe Walsh, Vince Gill and the late Glenn Frey's son Deacon Frey. Meanwhile, Henley remarked about how "very different" the band's recent show at the 55th Annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 2 was from performing in the Sphere. "This is very different from the Sphere," Henley quipped to laughs and cheers from the daytime NO crowd, who were very grateful to be under blue skies and sunshine on that day versus the two previous days of rain and muddy fields at Jazz Fest. "We got some sunshine up in here," he added. In a pivot from their Sphere set, the Eagles returned to their traditional opening number of "Seven Bridges Road" instead of the bombastic Vegas opener of "Hotel California," which instead kicked off the final three songs of the robust 19-song setlist. The most notable omission of the final songs from the setlist was "Desperado," the title track from their 1973 album, and when the band wrapped up about 25 minutes earlier than the schedule had promised, fans were hopeful they might return for the Henley ballad -- but the stage gear being broken down behind them proved otherwise. "We've been playing these songs for you for about 53 years now, and we hope to continue to do that," Henley said onstage. And most importantly, the sold-out crowd in the Crescent City got sunshine. - Billboard, 5/4/26...... Great news for Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers fans has turned out to be not so great for Bruce Springsteen fans in the City of Brotherly Love. After the Sixers advanced to the second round of the NBA finals by beating the Boston Celtics in a playoff series for the first time in 44 years -- besting their rivals 109-100 in game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series on May 2 and becoming just the 14th team in league history to come back from a 3-1 deficit -- The Boss and the E Street Band have reshuffled their "Land of Hope & Dreams" North American tour. The original E Street Band date was squeezed in between a run of New York shows, including a show on May 5 in Elmont, N.Y. bookended by the first of two shows at Madison Square Garden on May 11 (with a second one on May 16) and a stop at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on May 14. The Philly show will now come after what was supposed to be the E Street Band's May 27 finale at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. "Due to the NBA and NHL playoff schedule, the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert at Xfinity Mobile Arena has been rescheduled for May 30," the band wrote on Instagram on May 2. Tickets for the original date, May 8, will be honored on the new date. - Billboard, 5/4/26...... 
Pres. Donald Trump is claiming that his dance moves to the Village People's "Y.M.C.A." helped drive a resurgence of the song on the Billboard charts. During a speaking engagement at Florida's The Villages retirement community on May 1, Trump took credit for the 1970s smash hit that topped Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart in late 2024, more than four decades after its original release. "That song was No. 5 32 years ago, and it went to No. 1 32 years later," Trump erroneously stated during his speech. "It went to No. 1 for months during the last months of the campaign." The ubiquitous disco-era track -- described by the president as the "gay national anthem" -- was frequently used during his 2024 presidential campaign and spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Top Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart that November. Following its original release in late 1978, "Y.M.C.A." peaked at No. 2 on the main Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. In Dec. 2024, Village People founder Victor Willis spoke out about why he allowed Trump to use "Y.M.C.A." at rallies and events leading up to his election win. Willis originally asked Trump to stop using the song in 2020 but later reconsidered after realizing that the politician seemed to "genuinely like" it and was "having a lot of fun" with "Y.M.C.A.," he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post in late 2024. Willis also noted that the dance tune has only "benefited greatly" in terms of chart placements and sales since Trump incorporated it into his campaign. "Therefore, I'm glad I allowed the President Elect's continued use of Y.M.C.A.," Willis wrote. "And I thank him for choosing to use my song." During his speech on May 1, Trump also noted that First Lady Melania Trump isn't a fan of his onstage reaction to "Y.M.C.A." "She hates when I dance to what is sometimes referred to as the gay national anthem," the president said. "She hates it." He added, "We love that song. But [Melania] goes, 'Darling, please.' You know, she's a very elegant woman. She goes, 'Darling, please don't dance. It's not presidential.' I said, 'It may not be presidential, but I'm leading by 20 points in the polls or something.'" Trump ended his speech by showcasing his signature dance -- featuring fist pumps and hip shakes -- as "Y.M.C.A." played at the close of his address at the Florida retirement community. - Billboard, 5/3/26...... Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry made a surprise appearance on NBC's Saturday Night Live on May 2, emerging from the wings to introduce Olivia Rodrigo's performance of her new single "drop dead" -- giving the rising singer a rock 'n' roll co-sign in front of a live Studio 8H audience. Harry introduced Rodrigo's first musical performance of the night, which saw the singer-songwriter perform "drop dead" in an airy green and pink dress, rocking out to the boisterous, energetic track. The single -- released Apr. 17 -- debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rodrigo's fourth chart-topper. Pioneering New Wave band Blondie has sold over 40 million records worldwide since forming in New York in 1974, and announced in 2025 that a new album, High Noon, would arrive in spring 2026. - Billboard, 5/3/26...... 
On May 1 Barry Manilow postponed the latest in a series of delays of his Las Vegas residency at the Westgate Resort & Casino since revealing his Stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis in Dec. 2025. But Manilow, 82, says he is making great progress and expects to return to the Westgate stage in July. In an Instagram Story posted on May 1, Manilow opened with, "Good news! I went to the doctor yesterday and he said I'm making great progress and look great! All the training and exercising I've put in is paying off. He did say, however, that I'm not quite ready for Vegas. This means I won't be able to return for our May shows at Westgate Las Vegas." The "Copacabana" singer also confirmed he will be ready for his June arena shows in the U.K. "The Westgate Las Vegas is my home away from home and I'll see you all in July," he said. In Dec. 2025, Manilow underwent surgery to remove a cancerous spot from his left lung and has not performed since. The singer's February Las Vegas residency dates were the first to be pushed back, followed by his arena tour launch dates from late February through March, and then his April arena shows -- each time on his doctor's advice that his body needed more time to recover. Despite the setbacks, Manilow has remained determined to return to the stage. His Las Vegas residency at Westgate is scheduled to run through Dec. 2026, and his farewell arena tour -- billed as "The Last Concerts" -- has rescheduled dates still on the books. In March, his latest single "Once Before I Go" became a top 10 hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, making him the only artist in history to score an AC hit in six consecutive decades -- a run stretching from the 1970s through the 2020s. His new album What a Time, -- his first of new material in nearly 15 years -- is due June 5. - Billboard, 5/2/26...... In related news, Dolly Parton cancelled her Las Vegas residency, which the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member originally postponed in Oct. 2025 due to an unspecified illness, says it will now not go ahead at all. In a lengthy Instagram Reel on May 4, the country/pop legend shared an update about her health. "Well, hey there, it's Dolly, and I'm here to give you an update on a few things going on in my life," she began. "I have some good news and a little bad news. But the good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments, and I'm improving every day. Now, the bad news is that it's gonna take me a little while before I'm up to stage performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little swimmy-headed, as my grandma used to say." Parton then used the idea of restoring a classic car to be "better than ever" as a metaphor for her health issues. "When they raised the hood on this old antique, they realised that I need to rebuild my engine and that my transmission is slipping, my oil pan is leaking, my muffler's busted and my shocks and pistons need to be replaced. And for sure, my spark plugs need to be changed, because you know, as well as I know, that I can't lose my spark," the "Jolene" hitmaker quipped. Anyway, I know I'm being silly, but I'm just tryin' to keep everything light and airy," the "9 to 5" performer shared. Dolly also noted that despite her health challenges, she is still working, making videos, recording and preparing for her museum and hotel opening in Nashville this year. Additionally, she's been reworking "Dolly: A True Original Musical," which is set to debut on Broadway later this year. - Music-News.com, 5/5/26...... '70s artists Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Grateful Dead, Ramones and John Prine were among the 25 top-selling acts with new releases for Record Store Day 2026. More than 350 album and single products were issued for RSD 2026, and the top-selling album was the four-LP clear vinyl release of Pink Floyd's Live From the Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975, according to Luminate. The project was also issued as a 2-CD set, and the CD edition was the No. 24 best-selling RSD 2026 album title. Petty and the Heartbreakers' Live at Paradise Rock Club, 1978 was the 10th top seller, followed by Talking Heads' The CBS/Columbia Demos (No. 16); Grateful Dead's Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA, June 11, 1976 (No. 19); Ramones' Summer In the City: Live In San Francisco, 1979 (No. 22); and Prine's BBC Sessions (No. 23). David Bowie's "Hallo Spaceboy," a fluorescent pink-colored 12-inch vinyl, was the top-selling RSD 2026 exclusive single. The yearly independent RSD celebration was held on Apr.18 and boasted a bevy of albums and singles (mostly vinyl titles) issued for RSD, and exclusively sold through indie record stores. - Billboard, 5/1/26...... 
Peter Gabriel has shared an uplifting, politically charged new single, "Won't Stand Down," which he says hopes to "encourage some sort of activism." The track is the latest to be shared from the English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist as part of his new album O\I. Set to be his 11th studio album, the record is the follow-up to 2023's 'I/O' and the two records were written around the same time. Each song on the forthcoming album will receive both "Bright-Side" and "Dark-Side" mixes and will be released to align with this month's full moon and new moon. Singles so far have dropped steadily each month, and included January's "Been Undone," February's "Put the Bucket Down," March's "What Lies Ahead" and April's "Till Your Mind Is Shining." Speaking about "Won't Stand Down," Gabriel posted on X/Twitter: "The song began around a chord sequence which I liked and which felt quite poppy and playful, so I just kept on playing around with it till I had something." With the latest song, the "Bright-Side" version is the first to be released, and it comes as an uplifting, empowering song that offers both hope and inspiration to pursue change in the world. "A million mothers looking forward/ They're all looking out ahead/ In the haze they can make out a planet/ Alive, or was it dead?," Gabriel sings in the ethereal, invigorating first verse. "Moving out in so many directions/ This is not the way we want to live/ It's not the way it has to be." It gradually builds towards the euphoric-yet-tranquil chorus: "But we won't stand down/ Until there's something better showing on the ground." "It's really a song to encourage some sort of activism," the singer shared, adding that he originally wanted to create music for The Elders.org -- the organization founded by Nelson Mandela that sees independent global leaders fight for justice, human rights and a more sustainable planet. A "Dark-Side Mix" of "Won't Stand Down" will also be arriving later in May. - New Musical Express, 5/1/26...... Movie director Steven Soderbergh has revealed he used generative AI for his new documentary, John Lennon: The Last Interview, in collaboration with Meta. The filmmaker, known for iconic movies such as Black Bag, Erin Brockovich, and the Ocean's Eleven trilogy, is working with the late Beatle's estate to bring to life the last interview he gave, promoting the album Double Fantasy with his wife and collaborator, Yoko Ono. The task for the documentary was to provide images for the audio-only interview. Most of it that will be archival material. However, the Oscar-winner has revealed that 10 per cent of the film will feature AI-generated video footage, portraying surreal moments that he claims are not possible through creative methods. "So now we've got it kind of laid out in chapters and we begin to fill in the areas in which John and Yoko are speaking about a specific experience that they had, or a specific piece of music, or a specific person, and layer in archival material over that text -- sometimes stills, sometimes motion, video," he told Deadline. "And we have a version of the movie in which the only holes that remain now are the sections where John and Yoko are talking in abstract philosophical terms." "This comprises about 10 per cent of the entire film, but it's a real problem because we've got to come up with something -- some imagery that enhances what they're saying, but is metaphorical," he continued. "So we're starting to experiment with AI, trying to see if we can build some images that'll fit alongside this text. I'm trying to articulate ideas that will result in something interesting, and we're running out of money." Soderbergh said the doc's producer, Michael Sugar suggested collaborating with Meta "because they're building some video generative tools," and he agreed. Soderbergh conceded that AI "is a very emotional subject lately. Understandably so." However, he claimed he is using it in a way that isn't replacing human endeavor. "There are two ways of using it," he argued. "There's a way of using AI in which your intention is to fool somebody or manipulate them, to create an image that you want them to think is real. And then there's a use, which is what we're doing in the documentary, where it's obvious that it is AI and that it is being used essentially in the way that you would use VFX or CGI or any sort of non-photographic technology." He also explained the Lennon estate's support of the approach. "I asked Sean [Ono Lennon], 'What do you think your dad's take on this tech would've been?' And he said, 'Oh, he would've wanted to engage.' He loved all new technology. All The Beatles did. He would want to play with it just to see what it could do. He goes, 'That was the way he was. ' How he would've felt about it ultimately, we'll never know, but he said he would've wanted to play with it." John Lennon: The Last Interview will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later in May. - NME, 5/5/26...... In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney have commented on Ringo's first-ever recorded duet with McCartney on Sir Paul's new LP The Boys of Dungeon Lane, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which will be released on May 8 ahead of the full album's release on May 29. Speaking about the duet, "Home to Us," Paul said: "Ringo went round to the studio and drummed a bit. I said to Andrew [Watt, the producer], we should make a track and send it to him. So this song is done totally with Ringo in mind. "In writing the song I'm talking about where we came from. In common with a lot of people, you come from nothing and you build yourself up." Paul then explained how their upbringing in Liverpool has influenced their new duet. He said: "Ringo was from the Dingle, and that was well hard. He said he used to get mugged coming home, because he worked. Even though it was crazy, it was home to us. I made the song around that idea and sent it to Ringo. "He sent me back a version where he just added some lines to the chorus, so I thought, maybe he doesn't like it. I rang him and he said he thought I only wanted him to sing one or two lines, and I said I'd love to hear him sing the whole thing. So we took my first line, Ringo's second line, and then we had a duet. We'd never done that before." The record, Paul's first solo album in more than five years, has been described as a revealing collection of never-before-shared stories and personal memories from one of the most influential musicians of all time. - Music-News.com, 5/5/26...... 
Queen guitarist Brian May has gone from local hero to a bit of a frustrated gardener in his quiet English village. In 2025, May made headlines in Elstead after donating 3,000 daffodil bulbs to brighten the church green. The gesture struck a chord with locals, and May regularly shared updates online as the flowers grew. By his own account, the response was overwhelmingly positive, according to CNN.com. May planned to donate more bulbs to expand the display across the main village green, but that plan has now been scrapped after local officials stepped in and shut it down. In a recent Instagram post, May said he was "quite thrilled" by the "happy comments" about this year's blooms and gave a shoutout to "Team Daffodil," the group of volunteers who helped plant them. The tone shifted, however, when he revealed that Elstead Parish Council had rejected his latest offer due to safety concerns. The council argued the daffodils could interfere with sightlines for traffic and make it harder for people to cross the green, reports the UK paper The Sun. Officials said they have "a responsibility to balance community initiatives with safety," ultimately deciding the risks outweighed the benefits. May didn't buy that explanation. Telling his 3.6 million followers he was "reluctantly" cancelling the order, he questioned how flowers with "18-inch stalks could (obstruct) anyone's view" -- especially when the green is often surrounded by parked cars, including what he joked is a "7-foot-high ice cream van!!!" Now 78, May has been navigating health concerns and career decisions as the same time. In Sept. 2024, he revealed he had suffered a "minor stroke" that briefly left him unable to control his arm, according to the AP. He later confirmed he had recovered and could still play guitar. On the touring front, May has also hit pause on U.S. plans. In a January interview, he described the country as "a dangerous place at the moment" following the deaths of two U.S. citizens involving immigration officials in Minnesota. The comment rules out near-term projects like a potential Las Vegas residency -- something he had previously been excited about. In fact, during a Rolling Stone interview marking the 50th anniversary of "Bohemian Rhapsody," May had been enthusiastic about performing at the Sphere in Vegas, saying the band could create something "stupendous." - Canoe.com, 5/1/26...... Appearing on CBS Sunday Morning on May 3, Sting revealed that he has no plans to retire anytime soon. Asked whether he ever considers taking a vacation or slowing down from his busy schedule, the 74-year-old Sting (real name Gordon Sumner) -- joked that he didn't understand the concept. "I like to work," he smiled. "Could I retire? I'm not sure I could do it. I haven't developed that skill to just sit and do nothing. Perhaps I'm afraid of it. I haven't prepared myself for it. But while I'm still fit enough to do my work, I will continue. At some point, I hope I have the objectivity to say, 'OK, you've done enough. Go and sit on the farm.'" Reflecting on his pivot from pop music to working in the theatre, Sting emphasized that he has no regrets. "I'm very grateful for the pop career, and it was a certain time in my life when I was of a certain age and looked a certain way and made a certain kind of music. But it can't be my entire life. I don't want to be just defined from how I was at the age of 25. I'm 74 now," the "Roxanne" hitmaker continued. The former The Police frontman and Shaggy are currently promoting the 2026 tour of Sting's original musical "The Last Ship," in which he plays shipyard foreman Jackie White. "I immediately knew Shaggy was the perfect man for the job. He has a great sense of mischief, a great sense of joy, but he's also a natural actor," he praised, while Shaggy interjected: "He knows me better than me! I was like, 'I can't really,' and he was like, 'No, you can do that.' And then I'm doing it, and I was like, 'I hate admitting that he was right!'" "The Last Ship" opens at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York on June 9. - Music-News.com, 5/4/26...... Beau Starr, the American actor best known for playing Sheriff Ben Meeker in the Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 horror films, has died of natural causes at his Vancouver home, according to TMZ.com. He was 81 years old. He also had a supporting role in Martin Scorsese's 1990 mob classic Goodfellas as the abusive father of Ray Liotta's Henry Hill. His other film credits include Fletch, Speed, Cinderella Man, Devil in a Blue Dress and Born on the Fourth of July. Mr. Starr got his start playing various characters on the Canadian sketch show Bizarre. He went on to have small roles in other popular series like Psych, Knight Rider, The A-Team, MacGyver, TJ Hooker, Three's Company, Remington Steele, The Fall Guy, Night Court, Matlock, Moonlighting, Murder She Wrote and NYPD Blue. - Variety.com, 5/3/26.
U2's Bono will present the Harry Belafonte Social Justice Award to Bruce Springsteen during the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, set for June 3-14 in New York. "There are few figures who embody the spirit of Tribeca's Harry Belafonte Award more fully than Bruce Springsteen," said festival co-chair and co-founder Jane Rosenthal about the New Jersey rocker's tireless work to follow in the footsteps of civil rights activist/singer Harry Belafonte by using his platform to speak out and advance "equality, dignity and human rights." In addition to his longtime friend and fellow activist Bono, the Boss will also receive tributes from punk godmother Patti Smith and actor Robert De Niro. De Niro will also take part in a 50th anniversary celebration of his landmark film Taxi Driver, with a screening of the gritty 1976 drama and conversation between the actor and the movie's director, Martin Scorsese. More info on this year's programming and tickets can be found at tribecafilm.com. - Billboard, 4/28/26...... In other Bruce Springsteen news, during a concert in Austin, Tex. on Apr. 26 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame icon offered "prayers of thanks" that Pres. Donald Trump wasn't injured during an Apr. 25 incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner when a California man named Cole Tomas Allen who was brandishing several weapons charged through a security checkpoint in the lobby outside the hotel ballroom where the event was being held. "We begin tonight with a prayer for our men and women in service overseas, we pray for their safe return," said frequent Trump antagonist Springsteen during the E Street Band' show at the Moody Center in Austin, Tex., on Apr. 26. "We also send out a prayer of thanks that our President, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night's incident at the [White House] Press Correspondents' Dinner." He added, "We can disagree. We can be critical of those in power, and we can peacefully fight for our beliefs. But there is no place in any way, shape, or form for political violence of any kind in our beloved United States." - Billboard, 4/27/26...... 
A judge in London has ruled that former Jimi Hendrix Experience members, bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, signed away their copyrights in "clear and unequivocal" terms in their lawsuit over UK royalties against Sony Music. Following a seven-day trial this past December, U.K. High Court Justice Edwin Johnson released a lengthy decision on Apr. 28 dismissing the claims brought against Sony by the families of Redding and Mitchell. In the long-running suit that began in 2021, the pair's estates have claimed they're being unfairly deprived of royalties from three classic Jimi Hendrix Experience albums, including the 1968 chart-topper Electric Ladyland. Sony, which has distributed Hendrix's music since 2009 under an exclusive license with Hendrix's heirs, maintains that it owes nothing to the two families. Justice Johnson ultimately sided with Sony after determining that Redding and Mitchell signed away future royalties as part of the band's 1966 recording agreement. According to the judge, this contract gave full copyright ownership to producers Michael Jeffrey and Chas Chandler in "clear and unequivocal" language. Moreover, the judge said that even without these copyright ownership issues, all claims would be barred by settlements signed by both Redding and Mitchell with the Hendrix estate during probate proceedings in the early 1970s. A spokesperson for both Sony Music and the Hendrix estate, which is run through the business entity Hendrix Experience, said in a statement that they are "thankful that this litigation, which has lasted over four years, has come to an end." Janie Hendrix, Jimi's sister and the CEO of his estate, also said in her own statement, "I have nothing but positive memories of Noel and Mitch. Experience Hendrix's longstanding relationships with both reflect a consistent commitment to honouring and supporting the musicians who were part of Jimi Hendrix's history." - Billboard, 4/28/26...... Talking to People magazine, Ringo Starr revealed he refused to sing "one of the saddest lines" in a song written by his current collaborator T-Bone Burnett for his new country album Long Long Road. "One of the saddest lines was 'Why do we die?'.... I wouldn't sing it! I made it 'Why can't we fly' and then sent it back to him! But that's country, isn't it? Like, you're in the bar, the wife's left, the dog's dead and you don't have any change for the jukebox. I got into [the genre] with Hank Williams and all those people. There was a sad aspect to country music." The genre is relatable to many people, and while the 85-year-old drummer doesn't think he's "good at advice," he had a tip for people struggling with life: "Play it a bit faster! I'm not all that good at advice, but move forward. That's the thing. Move forward and move on -- on down the road. That's why this [album] is Long Long Road. I was reflecting on myself. This has been a long, long road with a few bad moments but lots of great moments. I'm blessed." Ringo, who kicks off a spring/summer tour with his All-Starr Band on May 29 in Temecula, Calif., also recently told Variety that he wants to get a bunch of songs together for a new EP to wrap up his project with Burnett. "Well, we're doing it because this year I'm only doing 12 gigs," he said. "I've got the records going, with Universal, and I've got the best-of going. And I've got this idea for doing some other tracks and maybe an EP and will put that out as well." Asked if he can provide any further details about what to expect from the EP, he replied: "The idea is just getting the songs and putting 'em together and seeing how it works." - Music-News.com, 4/29/26...... The Rolling Stones have seemingly confirmed that the title for their upcoming album will be Foreign Tongues after a series of cryptic billboards that feature the iconic Stones logo and the same phrase repeated in various languages have popped up across the globe. It comes shortly after they shared their new vinyl-only single, "Rough & Twisted," under the moniker The Cockroaches earlier in April. In a similar fashion to the recent run of billboards, the band prompted rumours of their return after cryptic posters emerged across London. Fans have already drawn a link between the two, given the lyrics for the latest single feature the line: "Why don't you teach me/ Teach me all those foreign tongues?" The single serves as the first taste of the new album, which is slated for release in July. It'll be the band's first full-length effort since 2023's Grammy-winning Hackney Diamonds. The band's latest posters in such cities as Manchester, UK, and Warsaw, Poland, can be viewed on Rolling Stone magazine has announced that it will host its first-ever festival on July 4 in Kingston, N.Y., with headliners including Noah Kahan, Gigi Perez, Sydney Rose, Devon Gilfilian and more. The boutique event, dubbed Stateside, will "channel the timeless spirit of Americana with music, hot dogs, fireworks, an artisan market and local food vendors" and take place on Independence Day at Hutton Brickyards' 4,000-capacity riverfront property, according to a press release. The show will be headlined by Kahan, who just released his fourth studio album, The Great Divide, and feature a whole day of pop, rock, indie, folk and country performers including Gigi Perez, Sydney Rose, Arcy Drive, Bo Staloch, Devol Gilfillian, Derby, Calder Allen and Michaela Anne. After a day of music, the night will end with a firework display following Kahan's set. The Stateside Festival poster can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard, 4/27/26...... 
David Lee Roth made a surprise appearance at the Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, Calif., on Apr. 25, joining Teddy Swims onstage for a performance of "Jump," Van Halen's 1984 single. During their set, Swims brought Roth onstage after performing his recent single "Mr. Know It All" and "Some Things I'll Never Know," both from his debut studio album I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), released in Sept. 2023. The recent performance took place amid a turbulent evening at this year's Stagecoach, where high winds earlier in the night had forced a temporary evacuation of the festival grounds and prompted a series of schedule changes, including the removal of several artists, including Journey and Riley Green, from the lineup. The evacuation was triggered by high winds that intensified across Indio's Empire Polo Club. An "emergency evacuation" message appeared on screens across the site, instructing attendees to "move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit," while alerts sent via the festival's official app directed festivalgoers to leave the area. Despite the weather, Swims' set went ahead, with Roth's appearance providing one of the night's most high-profile moments as fans gathered following the festival's reopening. Stagecoach, one of the largest country music festivals in the United States, is held annually at the same site as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and draws tens of thousands of attendees each year. - Billboard, 4/27/26...... Even though he died in 2009, Michael Jackson-mania is still in full force as the new MJ biopic Michael earned a record-breaking $97 million domestic opening and a global launch of $217.4 million after opening on Apr. 24. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Antoine Fuqua-directed film delivered the biggest opening ever for a music biopic, surpassing Universal's rap doc Straight Outta Compton, which debuted to $60.1 million in 2015. Fox's Queen/Freddie Mercury film Bohemian Rhapsody opened to $51 million in 2018, ranking as the second-biggest debut for a music biopic. Michael now also holds the biggest domestic opening of all time for a biopic, surpassing Oppenheimer ($80 million), not adjusted for inflation, according to THR. Michael grossed $38.5 million domestically on opening day and was off to a strong start overseas, with an international launch in the $114 million range, THR reports. "This record-breaking performance is a testament to the incredible filmmaking team of producer Graham King and director Antoine Fuqua, an amazing cast led by Jaafar Jackson's singular performance, our world-class partners at Universal, the cooperation and support of the Michael Jackson Estate, and our tireless and exceptionally talented Lionsgate team," Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in a statement. "Above all, it reflects the tremendous outpouring of love and affection from moviegoers around the world, underscoring the strength and vitality of the theatrical box office. If you give audiences what they want, they will come." Michael, which charts the superstar's rise from fronting The Jackson 5 in the 1970s to launching a solo career that reached historic heights, is the first installment of a planned two-part biopic, with the the second installment possibly starting to shoot as early as this year. Meanwhile, in the spirit of fans acting out the iconic 1975 comedy The Rocky Horror Picture show, a new dance trend is taking place at screenings of Michael, which is annoying some cinema-goers. Many have taken to social media to hit out at those wanting to dance at the theater instead of watching the film. "I was thinking about going to see Michael tomorrow in the theater, but stuff like this makes me want to watch it at home instead," one person wrote, sharing footage on X/Twitter of a fan performing one of Jackson's routines beneath the screen. "If I pay to see a MOVIE, I don't want to see anyone else dancing other than Michael." "There's a difference between enjoying the moment and disrupting everyone else's experience," another agreed, while a third added: "I don't want to see anything like it. As a paying customer I'd prefer to watch the movie I paid to see and not some narcissistic attention whore trying to create a viral moment." However some movie patrons have described it as "one of the best movie-going experiences" they've had. They argue that the trend simply shows people enjoying his music and adding to an electric atmosphere in the cinema. "You have zero sense of fun or humour. You have zero energy. You are all Karens now and you suck," one person shared, defending the trend, and another praised it as making the cinema feel like "a live concert" and "a full-blown MJ revival." "Michael Jackson made music so ppl can dance to it," another person chimed in on X, and someone else described it as "magical." - Billboard/NME, 4/26/26...... 
Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s girl group The Ronettes, died on Apr. 26 at the age of 80. Her passing was announced by her daughter, Nedra K Ross, in a Facebook post. "At approximately 8:30 this morning, our mother, Nedra Talley Ross, went home to be with the Lord," she wrote. "She was safe in her own bed at home with her family close, knowing she was loved. Thank you, Lord." Ms. Talley Ross, Estelle Bennett and Ronnie Spector rose to prominence while working with Ronnie's husband, legendary record producer Phil Spector, in 1963. Together, The Ronettes recorded songs including "Be My Baby," "Baby, I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. A tribute posted on the group's official Instagram page noted, "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Nedra Talley Ross' passing. She was a light to those who knew and loved her... [The Ronnettes'] voice, style and spirit helped define a sound that would change music. Her contribution to the group's story and their defining influence will live forever. Rest peacefully dear Nedra. Thanks for the magic." Estelle Bennett died in 2009 at age 67 due to colon cancer. Her sister, Veronica Bennett, known as Ronnie Spector after marrying Phil Spector in 1968, died in January 2022 at age 78 after a battle with cancer. - Music-News.com, 4/28/26...... Tony Wilson, the bassist, songwriter and co-founder of the '70s British disco/soul troupe Hot Chocolate, died on Apr. 24 in his native Trinidad of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 78. Wilson's daughter shared the news in an emotional Facebook post, writing that her father "left us today, April 24th 2026," and adding that he "left a lot of music behind forever and ever." She described their final conversations as deeply meaningful, saying he had recently asked for prayers and expressed a sense of peace about his passing, writing "The peace that I have is knowing that his soul escaped. He is in and at peace." Born in Trinidad, Wilson moved to the UK as a young man and began pursuing music in the early 1960s, first as a solo act in 1964, when he released his debut single "Yes I Do" on Decca Records. His life changed in 1969 when he teamed up with vocalist Errol Brown to form Hot Chocolate. The band went on to break new ground for Black British artists on the US charts, carving out a distinctive place in pop and soul history. Hot Chocolate scored global success with a string of hits between 1975-78, most famously the 1975 classic "You Sexy Thing" (#3, US), which Wilson co-wrote. The track became a defining anthem of the decade and remains one of the most recognizable songs in British pop culture. Other hits include "Emma" (#8, US), "Disco Queen" (#28, US), "So You Win Again" (#31, US), and "Every 1's A Winner" (#6, US). Wilson departed Hot Chocolate in 1975, releasing two albums, I Like Your Style and Catch One. - Music-News.com, 4/28/26...... In the midst of Cher's decision to file for conservatorship of her son Elijah Blue Allman, 49, on Apr. 16 amid his addiction, mental health and legal issues, it's been revealed that Elijah is the father of a 15-year-old girl named Ever, whom Cher, 79, learned of only in June 2025. The girl's mother, Kayti Edwards, 49, who is the step-granddaughter of actress Julie Andrews, 90, via her late husband Blake Edwards, told the UK tabloid The Sun that first-time grandmother Cher is "really trying" to build a bond with Ever, and they both spent the night at Cher's hom in September. Edwards said Elijah -- who is currently in custody in a New Hampshire psychiatric hospital -- "wanted to see [Ever] and have a relationship with her, but he wasn't in any fit state." - People, 5/4/26...... 
Controversial outlaw country music singer/songwriter David Allan Coe, best known for his '70s songs "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" and "Longhaired Redneck" as well as the '80s tracks "The Ride" and "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile," died on Apr. 29, his widow Kimberly confirmed to Rolling Stone. He was 86. "One of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of our time (and) never to be forgotten," she wrote to the outlet. "My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years. I'll never forget him and I don't want anyone else to ever forget him either." Mr. Coe also composed hits for several other artists, including "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" for Tanya Tucker and "Take This Job and Shove It," popularized by Johnny Paycheck. The latter earned Mr. Coe a Grammy nomination. Over the course of his career, the musician released over 40 albums, including the controversial LP's Nothing Sacred and Underground Album in the late '70s and '80s. While he had used racist language before, Mr. Coe sparked outrage over the use of racial slurs, hate speech and homophobic and misogynistic lyrics in those two albums. He denied he was a racist at the time. In addition, the musician also got into legal trouble in the 2010s. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to obstructing America's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from collecting taxes and was ordered to pay nearly $1 million he following year. Mr. Coe was married six times, most recently to Kimberly in 2010. He is survived by his wife and his five children: Tyler, Tanya, Shyanne, Carson and Shelli. - Music-News.com, 4/30/26.
An authorized Ramones exhibit will open at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas on July 4, and Rhino Records has announed a series of reissues and remastered, upscaled Ramones videos. To mark the group's 50th anniversary, the Ramones and Rhino Records are launching a year-long celebration that will include the only authorized exhibition dedicated to the seminal punk band. The show organized and curated by the Punk Foundation in collaboration with late guitarist Johnny Ramone's wife Linda Ramone and Ramones Production Inc., will feature the band's music, memorabilia, along with public and member's only performances, artist conversations, interactive experiences, artist-led tours and other events. The museum will also host a 4th of July bash featuring the Ramones tribute band Mama's Boy. In addition, between now and the end of 2026, the band and Rhino will announced a series of physical reissues and releases, as well as tribute performances and newly remastered, upscaled videos for such classics as "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Psycho Therapy," "Rock N' Roll High School," "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)," "We Want the Airwaves," "Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?" and others. - Billboard, 4/24/26...... In other '70s punk news, the 2026 edition of the CBGB Festival in NYC will feature a mix of classic and contemporary punk and new wave acts, topped by former Smiths singer and solo performer Morrissey, as well as punk godmother Patti Smith, Interpol and the Sex Pistols, featuring charter members guitarist Steve Jones, bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Paul Cook, with singer Frank Carter subbing in for original vocalist Johnny Rotten/John Lydon. The event honoring the legendary punk club in New York's East Village that beginning in 1973 was the launching pad for the first wave of American punk acts such as the Ramones, Smiths, Television, Blondie and the Talking Heads, among many others, will take place on Sept. 26 at Under the K Bridge Park in Brooklyn. Also on this year's bill, classic acts Buzzcocks, Bikini Kill, Agnostic Front, Circle Jerks and Haywire, as well as contemporary acts keeping the flame alive such as Upchuck, Militarie Gun, High Vis, Bad Nerves and Panic Shack. A CBGB Festival poster can be viewed on 
A 5-bedroom home in Benton, Ill., where a young George Harrison visited in Sept. 1963 just before he shot to worldwide fame with the Beatles, is up for sale. Harrison made his unassuming trip, when he shopped for records and bought a guitar from local shops, to visit his sister Louise Harrison Caldwell's home at 113 McCann St., about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, and the house had a date with the wrecking ball in 1995. However a group of activists including Louise, who moved away in the late 1960s, stepped in to save it. In the mid-1990s, a state agency bought the five-bedroom bungalow built in 1935 from a subsequent owner with plans to flatten it for parking. Beatles mega-fan Robert Bartel of Springfield, a Beatles author and documentarian, alerted the media and Fab Four loyalists. Local investors repurchased it from the state and opened the "Hard Day's Nite Bed and Breakfast," featuring the couch Harrison traded guitar licks on and stacks of other loaned Beatles memorabilia, including a bevy from Bartel. The bed-and-breakfast closed in 2010. Benton resident Grady Adams has since operated it as regular bed-and-bath apartments but now wants to sell, listing it for $105,000. Brian Calcaterra, Benton's director of economic development, suggested the city draft an ordinance to protect the house from demolition by a new owner, but Benton Mayor Lee Messersmith said the city council has not discussed the matter. Harrison never returned to Benton, though, dying in 2001 at 58. Caldwell was 91 when she died in 2023. Meanwhile, Harrison's ex-wife Pattie Boyd has wondered aloud who will play her in the upcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. Boyd, a model and photographer who was married to the guitarist between 1966 and 1977 before she married Eric Clapton (who wrote the song "Layla" for her), posted on 
The first reviews for the new Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, starring his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson, are in, and critics are apparently not thrilled with the big-screen story of the King of Pop. On Apr. 21, reviews of Michael were allowed to begin on rottentomatoes.com, and the film has a 32% critics score. A score of around 60% is generally considered to be a good rating. The UK critics in particular have not been so kind to the movie, with the BBC calling the film "a bland and barely competent daytime TV movie" and gave it one star, and The Guardian proclaiming that the "clichéd Jackson biopic is bland, bowdlerised and bad," while the Independent dubbed it a "risible biopic" that turns Jacko into "a 20th-century Jesus." But across the pond, the reception was somewhat more favorable, with The Hollywood Reporter writing: "If you're even remotely nostalgic for the time when his songs were ubiquitous on pop charts, at parties and on dance floors worldwide, the movie will be a warm rush of transporting pleasure," it gushed. Also complimentary is USA Today, sharing that, "Jaafar may share his late uncle's megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes. But his liquid dance moves -- highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the 'Beat It' video -- and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection." Meanwhile, Leaving Neverland MJ biopic director Dan Reed has criticized the new MJ biopic, claiming that the musician was "worse than Jeffrey Epstein' -- the notorious late millionaire alleged pedophile. Reed directed the HBO-produced, two-part Leaving Neverland back in 2019, which focused on interviews with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who alleged that they were sexually abused as children by Jackson. In 2024, Reed slammed the then-upcoming biopic Michael as "startlingly disingenuous," claiming it discredits Robson and Safechuck's experiences with the singer. Now that the film has hit theaters, he's questioned why the new biopic failed to acknowledge the abuse allegations against Jackson. "It says that people don't care that he was a child molester. Literally, people just don't care," Reed said in a new interview with Hollywood Reporter. "I think a lot of people just love his music and turn a deaf ear. And short of having actual video evidence of Michael Jackson engaged in sexual intercourse with a seven-year-old child, I don't know what would be sufficient to change these people's minds. "How can you tell an authentic story about Michael Jackson without ever mentioning the fact that he was seriously accused of being a child molester?" he added. - Music-News.com/NME, 4/22/26...... Kraftwerk have lost one of the longest-running copyright cases in music history over a sample of their song "Metall Auf Metall." The dispute centres around a short excerpt of the 1977 track that was used in the 1997 song "Nur Mir" by German rapper Sabrina Setlur, produced by Moses Pelham and Martin Haas. It began as a domestic German copyright claim in the late '90s, and Kraftwerk members Ralf Hütter and the late Florian Schneider were initially successful in their case that the unlicensed use of their song constituted infringement. However, that ruling was subsequently appealed, overturned and referred on several occasions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), resulting in a three-decade long legal battle over the regulation of sampling in Europe. A 2019 ruling held that sampling a recognisable section of a recorded song can amount to copyright infringement unless the sample is changed to the point that it becomes no longer identifiable. Now, a ruling on Apr. 14 in the CJEU's court in Luxembourg has ruled that a song can qualify as a "pastiche" if it evokes an existing recording in a recognizable but transformed form, but remains "notably different" from the original and engages in "artistic or creative dialogue" with the original. This represents a defeat for Kraftwerk, as it effectively confirms that Pelham and Haas' use of the sample falls within the "pastiche" category. Kraftwerk's "Multimedia"' UK and Ireland tour is set to kick off in Dublin on May 17 and will take in a total of 17 dates, including three in London's Royal Albert Hall on June 4, 5 and 6. It wraps in Edinburgh on June 9. - NME, 4/21/26...... Ronnie Wood has announced some UK and European headline shows for his 2026 solo tour. The Rolling Stones guitarist confirmed in March that he'd be taking to the stage at the legendary Paradiso in Amsterdam on Sept. 7. He later added a second night at the venue due to demand. Now, he's shared details of two extra gigs in the UK and Germany. Wood will play at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London on Aug. 21, before heading to E-Werk in Cologne on Sept. 3. Imelda May is set to appear on stage with Wood and his band at the forthcoming concerts. "I'm looking forward to kickin' ass with my back catalogue and some new songs -- look out London!" Wood said in a statement. Wood will also support Eric Clapton at his huge show at the Sandringham Estate this summer. - NME, 4/21/26...... 
Alan Osmond, the eldest singing member of the '70s family singing group The Osmonds, died on Apr. 20 in the group's native state of Utah of as yet undisclosed causes. He was 76. The family revealed that Osmond died surrounded by his wife Suzanne and their eight sons. Osmond -- who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987 -- and his nine siblings grew up as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ogden, Ut., getting their start in music singing in their church choir. At age nine, he started a barbershop quartet with brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond in 1958, with the squeaky clean group quickly picking up gigs at Disneyland in L.A. and frequent guest spots NBC's The Andy Williams Show variety hour from 1962-1967. Alan, referred to as "No. 1" by his younger brothers, took up the mantle as the group's leader, with the family band originally forming as a way to raise money for hearing aids for their hearing impaired older brothers, Virl and Tom Osmond. In 1963, the brothers were joined by younger sibling and future break-out star Donny Osmond, then six-years-old, who made his debut on the Williams show, turning the quartet into a quintet. A few years later, their youngest brother, Jimmy Osmond, joined the band as well. The Osmonds, who were known as "one-take Osmonds" for their efficiency, precision and constant rehearsing, moved on to The Jerry Lewis Show from 1967-1969 and slowly morphed from a vocal group to a pop/rock group, signing to MGM Records and recording at the famed Muscle Shoals studio in Alabama. It was there they recorded their only No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, 1971's Jackson 5-esque bubblegum pop bop 
Dave Mason, the veteran singer-songwriter and guitarist with Traffic and brief Fleetwood Mac member as well as a successful '70s solo artist, died on Apr. 19 at home in Gardnerville, Nev. He was 79. The news was confirmed in a statement from his publicist, who said: "On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason. On Sunday, April 19, the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer and author passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada," the 
Mason also released a string of solo albums in the '70s and '80s, including 
Bruce Springsteen jammed with The Doors' drummer John Densmore on Apr. 18 at he American Music Honors, an annual event organized by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center at Monmouth University in New Jersey. The Doors were among those honoured at the event, and Springsteen joined Densmore, as well as The E Street Band's Steve Van Zandt and the Disciples Of Soul house band for a rendition of The Doors' 1967 hit "Light My Fire." "There is no one in the room in danger of filling Jim Morrison's leather pants tonight," Springsteen quipped to the crowd after taking to the stage. Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger are the only surviving original members of the L.A.-based The Doors, and the drummer said at the event: "The Doors played in Asbury Park, and guess who was in the audience - the Boss!" "Hey, if our music helped Bruce shout out his bride, I'm hip," he added, referring to Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, who was apparently also at the 1986 gig. "It apparently worked, "Densmore continued. "They've been together quite a while. You know, so long that maybe Patty's the Boss!" Also at the event, Patti Smith, Dr. Dre, Dionne Warwick, The Band and The E Street Band all picked up American Music Honors. At the end of the show, many of the honorees came together to play Smith's "People Have The Power." Fan-shot footage of the Springsteen/Doors collab can be viewed on 
In an interview with the New York Times published on Apr. 18, 
Pink Floyd have joined forces with fashion house FC Internazionale Milano and Sony Music Italy to launch a new fashion collection, celebrating 50 years of its 
'70s artists Van Morrison and Chaka Khan were among the major winners at the Jazz FM Awards 2026 with PPL and PRS for Music on Apr. 16, as leading figures from across jazz, soul and blues gathered at KOKO in London for one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar. Hosted by Doc Brown, the ceremony celebrated artists shaping the future of jazz alongside the icons whose influence continues to define the genre. Legendary singer-songwriter Morrison was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Jools Holland, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to music across more than six decades. Global icon Chaka Khan received the Impact Award, presented by Sarah Jane Morris, while rising Mercury Prize-winning London group Ezra Collective were presented with a brand-new award for Outstanding Contribution to UK Jazz by Courtney Pine. The ceremony also featured a series of standout live performances celebrating the breadth of contemporary jazz and soul. Sir Van Morrison delivered a special performance of "Snatch It Back and Hold It" backed by the Van Morrison Alumni Band, while British soul legend Omar, visionary multi-instrumentalist Emma-Jean Thackray, and acclaimed vocalist Yazmin Lacey also performed on the night. Since its inception in 2013, the Jazz FM Awards have become one of the leading events in the international jazz calendar, celebrating artists across jazz, soul and blues while recognizing both emerging talent and globally established icons shaping the future of the genre. Sir Van recently told the London Times that his dad, an electrician at the Harland Wolff shipyard, played jazz records "day in and day out," exposing him to a sound that would underpin his blend of soul, blues and folk. Asked whether he would be performing today if it was not for his father's record collection: "Probably not. That was a huge influence. I was hearing jazz when I was a very young kid. My father played jazz records day in and day out. Skiffle came out of jazz, blues came out of jazz, so it was interconnected." - Music-News.com, 4/17/26...... Barbra Streisand has expressed her delight over seeing a traffic sign with one of her iconic taglines installed in New York City. Earlier in 2026, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal announced that a sign with the words "Hello, gorgeous!" would be mounted near the Brooklyn Bridge. Taking to Instagram on Apr. 16, Babs gushed over the sign, which is a reference to the first line she utters as Fanny Brice in the 1968 feature, Funny Girl. "You're looking at the new sign that will greet people as they enter Manhattan from Brooklyn," she wrote in the caption. "NYC is where I found my voice. It gave me a chance, a stage, and a lifetime of inspiration. There's nowhere else like it! Welcome to the Big Apple!" The 83-year-old, who won an Oscar for her performance in the film, went on to note that "Hello, gorgeous!" continues to have a lot of "meaning" to her. "As a teenager, I still remember that milelong ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It felt like a magical journey. Leading not just into the city but into my future, a place where dreams could come true. Welcome to the city that never sleeps, Manhattan. And may all your dreams come true," she declared in a voiceover. - Music-News.com, 4/16/26...... Actress Joy Harmon, best known for a provocative short scene in the 1967 classic rural prison farm film Cool Hand Luke, died at home in Los Angeles on Apr. 14 after being ill with pneumonia for weeks. She was 87. Ms. Harmon's short and wordless performance in Cool Hand Luke mesmerised characters in the film and audiences alike, in a three-minute car-washing scene rife with sexual innuendo. In the scene, the voluptuous Ms. Harmon washes a car and squeezes soap from a sponge on her body, drawing the attention and remarks of prisoners who watch as they dig a ditch. Although officially credited as The Girl, her character was called "Lucille" by one of the prisoners distracted by her car washing. It became the best known moment of her career, which spanned 32 credited appearances in movies and TV from the 1950s to the early 1970s, according to IMDB. "I was just washing a car to the best of my ability and having fun with it, with the sponge and everything," Ms. Harmon told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. "My concept of the [scene] was not like what came out. I was not aware that there were two meanings to things that I was doing, and I'm still not really that much aware of what they all were." Ms. Harmon started in the entertainment business as a child model and pageant queen and worked her way up through appearances on comedy and quiz shows. Most of her movie roles were through the 1960s and she also appeared in series including Bewitched, Batman, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, The Beverley Hillbillies, The Odd Couple and The Monkees. After acting, she worked at Disney Studios and in 2003 she opened a bakery in Los Angeles but still got fan mail sent to her every week. She is survived by three children and nine grandchildren. - BBC.com, 4/16/22...... 
Country music songwriter Don Schlitz, the Grammy-winning composer of some of country's most enduring songs including 
As Record Store Day approaches in the UK and US on Apr. 18, avid former Led Zeppelin frontman and avid record collector Robert Plant has been named as this year's Record Store Legend. "Record stores have always been a part of my life. For me, once you get to the physical record it's because you really want to know and be a part of what the artist was considering," Plant said during a recent visit to Cardiff, UK's Spillers Records. "And I know, as a guy who's been making records since 1966, people want to take home something very special, to enjoy all the elements of what an artist has put together. We want a connection between the music and the art of the whole thing," he added in the appearance, which has been shared on 
'70s punk icon Iggy Pop broke out several classic tracks at the Coachella 2026 festival in California on Apr. 12, and ended his set by being wheeled away in a coffin. Iggy made his latest appearance at the iconic music fest after having played there solo for the first time in 2001, before reuniting with his band The Stooges for the first time in three decades back in 2003. Pop opened his show with back-to-back renditions of "T.V. Eye," "Raw Power," "I Got A Right" and "Gimme Danger," before heading into two solo fan favorites: "The Passenger" and "Lust For Life." Other hits in the 14-song setlist included the classics "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Search And Destroy," and he introduced the song "1970" by making a nod to his age. "It's not easy being alive now. It's not easy to be old... it's not easy to be young," the rocker, who is set to turn 79 on Apr. 21 said, introducing the song. "It wasn't easy then." As well as working through his biggest hits from over the past few decades, the punk godfather also ended his show with a bang too -- getting into a black, red fur-lined coffin, and playfully crossing his arms over his chest and sticks his tongue out. The lid was then closed over him, and he was wheeled off the stage that way, with his arm sticking out the side and waving to the crowd along the way. That theatrical exit from the stage is the same way he ended his sets during his UK tour in 2025. After the performance, multiple viewers took to social media to celebrate the energy and charisma Pop is capable of displaying, even well into his 70s. "It's incredible and impressive that at 78-years-old he still dominates the stage like few others: raw, electric, and absolutely hypnotic. The father of punk in his most alive form," one fan wrote. "It is amazing that Iggy Pop can do what he's doing at nearly 80 years old, but if he wore a shirt no one would mind," one person quipped, while anther responded: "He was born shirtless and he'll die shirtless." Fan shot footage of the performance can be viewed on 
Roger Waters is on the lookout for a new singer to front his son's Pink Floyd tribute group Brit Floyd - after firing him from his touring solo band. Harry Waters previously played keyboards for his father on the road for 14 years. However, Harry revealed in 2023 that his dad had let him know that his services would no longer be required. "I was fired, it was pretty miserable," he said at the time, adding that his dad "wanted a change of blood, something new, something fresh." Harry then went on to join tribute act Brit Floyd, alongside one of Pink Floyd's former background singers, Durga McBroom, and their ex-saxophonist, Scott Page. Now, Roger has put out an "open invitation" on 
Children's programming legend and beloved puppeteer Sid Krofft, who alongside his brother Marty created