On Aug. 7 Neil Young announced details of his new album with The Chrome Hearts called Second Song. The follow-up to his 2025 set Talkin To The Trees, the new LP features seven tracks five of which are previously unreleased along with two unreleased versions of "Casting Me Away From You" and "I'll Love You Forever." Second Song will drop on Sept. 18 via Reprise Records. Young has also shared the soothing lengthy title track on YouTube. On it, he sings of the life he's experienced, with lines such as, "I dream a way of living/ A way of sharing what we find/ A way of walking slowly through the smokey leaves of time." In a press release for the new album, Young says: "In times when lives are tested, this is music that gathers the past into a hopefulness for the future. It allows those hearing the inner feelings of what gives Neil Young himself the belief needed to face our obstacles in their deepest divisions. 2026 faces us in ways society hasn't been faced before. It is not a time to look away." He had previously revealed that he was channelling anger at the Donald Trump administration into the new album. - New Musical Express, 8/7/26...... 
Lindsey Buckingham says he and Stevie Nicks are "talking all the time now" after a rift between himself and Nicks resulted in his firing from the band in 2019. Interviewed by E! News at Variety's Power of Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Aug. 6, Buckingham explained that he and other members of Fleetwood Mac have found that their collaboration on an upcoming FM documentary has been "a very circular healing process for all of us." "Because we had left things in 2019, maybe as far as I was concerned, not in a very good place for all the wrong reasons," he said. "No one was happy about it, and all of that has been healed and worked out." Buckingham's relationship with Nicks especially has been famously fraught over the decades, but according to him, "Stevie and I are talking all the time now." His interview comes nearly two years after Apple announced production on a definitive FM documentary directed by Frank Marshall, featuring rare insights from the surviving band members themselves. A release date has not yet been announced, but the project is expected to arrive in 2027. In 2025, Buckingham and Nicks teamed up to re-release their 1973 album, Buckingham Nicks, which reached No. 3 on the Top Album Sales chart in September. Buckingham also teased to E! that future projects with his old bandmates could be in the cards. "Next year should be a pretty interesting year. I think quite a few things will reveal themselves," he said. Elsewhere, and alleged stalker of Buckingham has been ruled unfit to stand trial. Michelle Dick, 55, is accused of attacking and stalking the musician and violating a restraining order taken out against her in 2024. In court filings, Buckingham claimed that Dick told police that he was her father and accused him of "suffocating her as a child." The woman allegedly confronted the musician last March, throwing an unknown substance in his face. At the time, police said they believed she had been waiting for his arrival. Buckingham was uninjured. She was then arrested in Indiana in April and additionally charged with stalking another victim named in the documents as "Stephanie N," along with vandalising Buckingham's vehicle and making a criminal threat against the musician in March. Dick has pleaded not guilty on all seven charges. Now, Judge Robert S. Harrison has told Dick that she is not "trial-competent" or "able to handle your case," He additionally ruled that it was "medically appropriate to treat the defendant's psychiatric condition with medication," following a report from a court-appointed doctor. Further rulings will be made in a hearing scheduled for Aug. 27. If she qualifies for and successfully completes a mental health diversion program, her charges could be dismissed. - Billboard/NME, 8/7/26...... ZZ Top was forced to cancel their performance at the Hollywood Bowl scheduled for Aug. 5 due to "insurmountable obstacles," according to frontman Billy Gibbons. "Friends, fans and followers of ZZ Top are the best in the business and the band is counting on everyone to bear with us for this brief interruption," he posted on Instagram. ZZ Top is in the midst of its summer 2026 "The Big One" tour. Earlier this year, the band extended its 2026 tour with nearly two dozen new dates for the summer. - Rolling Stone, 8/5/26...... Bob Dylan has switched up his live lineup once again, bringing blues veteran Jimmie Vaughan onstage during his US tour closer at Nashville's Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater on Aug. 1. Vaughan appeared five songs into the set, joining Dylan for the Rough and Rowdy Ways LP track "False Prophet" before sticking around to help cover Bo Diddley's 1961 deep cut "I Can Tell." He later returned near the end of the night to play on "Goodbye Jimmy Reed", another song from Dylan's 2020 album. Vaughan -- older brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan -- first worked with Dylan in the early 1990s, amid his Under The Red Sky era, playing on "Handy Dandy" and teaming up with Stevie Ray for "God Knows," "Cat's In The Well" and "10,000 Men." He also joined Dylan for several tracks at a 2024 Austin show. Vaughan's latest appearance comes amid a period of rapid guitarist turnover in Dylan's touring band. Bob Britt, who had played with Dylan since 2019, recently confirmed he left the lineup "of his own accord" after fans speculated that he'd been fired. Britt said he wouldn't disclose his reasons but insisted there was no bad blood, adding he planned to return to session work. Britt's exit followed Doug Lancio's departure earlier in the summer, with Julian Lage stepping in for several dates. At present, Joel Paterson is reportedly Dylan's only full-time guitarist -- though Vaughan's Nashville cameo suggests Dylan may continue rotating players as the tour evolves. It remains unclear who will join Dylan for the UK and European leg of the "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour, which begins in Norway in October before reaching Bournemouth on Nov. 25. - Music-News.com, 8/5/26...... Roger Daltrey and Robert Plant are scheduled to participate in a one-off concert on Dec. 6 to celebrate the life and career of legendary British music broadcaster Bob Harris OBE. Titled Stand By Me: Bob Harris - A Celebration of Life In Music, the landmark event brings together an extraordinary lineup of rock, folk, country, and pop icons who have been championed by the famous presenter throughout his five decades on air. Royal Albert Hall will welcome a stellar gathering of musical talent for the occasion, featuring performances by Daltrey, Plant, Paul Weller, Suzi Dian and Rick Wakeman. The celebration comes as Harris continues to manage ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, having briefly stepped back from his regular BBC Radio 2 show earlier in 2026. - Music-News.com, 8/4/26...... 
A new documentary about the late Rush drummer Neil Peart will debut on Canada's CBC network on Sept. 23. Neil Peart: No One's Disciple will tell Peart's life story, and feature interviews with Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, as well with a crew of legendary drummers talking about his influence. Also for the documentary, Lee and Lifeson filmed rehearsal hall performances of classic Rush songs with some well-known guest drummers, including the Police's Stewart Copeland, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, and Tool's Danny Carey. Peart, who is widely considered one of the greatest rock drummers of all time, died of cancer in 2020. - Rolling Stone, 8/5/26...... Earth, Wind & Fire called off a co-headlining show with Lionel Richie at San Francisco's Chase Center on Aug. 6 at the last minute due to an illness affecting a member of the band. According to a local TV station, thousands of fans already inside the arena and those still in line were forced to exit the building. In an Instagram statement, EW&F wrote, "We are unable to perform as scheduled tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco due to a medical emergency involving a member of our band." EW&F has not provided any additional information on which member of the group had fallen ill or the nature of the medical issue. As a result of the call-off, the show will be rescheduled on a date to be announced soon. The band asked ticket holders to hold on to their original tickets, which will be honored for the new date; otherwise, refunds will be available at the point of purchase. "We sincerely apologize for the unexpected change and appreciate everyone's understanding," EW&F wrote. The group is scheduled to continue its tour on Aug. 8 in Palm Desert, Calif. - Billboard, 8/7/26...... In related news, Barry Manilow called off his planned Aug. 4 show in Lexington, Ky. for a second time, citing "unforeseen circumstances." An Instagram message from the 83-year-old "Mandy" singer read "Due to unforeseen circumstances tonight's show in Lexington has been rescheduled." Manilow was originally scheduled to play Lexington's Rupp Arena on Mar. 9, but that show was postponed while he underwent treatment for stage 1 lung cancer. In the comments on Manilow's post, many fans wished the singer well, with one even jokingly apologizing for wearing him out after he played "all those fast loud song[s]" on Aug. 2 in Columbus, and another saying they would be happy if he just came out and pointed to his fans without even singing. Manilow has five more U.S. shows booked through the end of the August before his planned return to Las Vegas for the resumption of his Hits Come Home! residency, which will have him playing an average of six shows a month through December. He revealed his cancer diagnosis in Dec. 2025 and underwent surgery to remove a cancerous spot from his left lung later that month. That resulted in the singer pushing back his planned February Las Vegas residency dates, as well as his February, March and April arena shows on doctor's advice that he needed more time to recover. In March, his new single, "Once Before I Go," became a top 10 hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, making Manilow the only artist to ever score an A/C hit in six consecutive decades during a run that has stretched from the 1970s through the 2020s. His first new album in 15 years, What a Time, was released in June. In February, "Once Before I Go" reached No. 25 on Billboard's A/C chart, more than 50 years after he first topped the chart with "Mandy." - Billboard, 8/5/26...... On Aug. 6 Barbra Streisand announced she is stepping into the world of children's literature with a debut picture book, And By the Way.... Set to arrive in the spring of 2027 via Flamingo Books, And By the Way... tells the story of a loving grandparent and grandchild who spend the day together doing fun activities and adventures that lead to understanding some of life's core truths. The Grammy-winning singer said in a statement that the project is a very personal one for her. "I love being 'Gamma Barbra' to my three wonderful young grandchildren," she said. "One of our favorite activities is reading picture books together -- sometimes the same ones over and over again! So, I thought it would be fun to write my own book... for them... and hopefully, for other parents and grandparents to read to their little ones!" The title of the book also has everything to do with Streisand, as it's one of her signature phrases. "It's an expression I use quite often," she explained. "It seems like there's always one more thing to say!" She added that the overarching message centers on "discovery, self-expression, self-reliance and of course, love." Streisand has four grandchildren through her marriage to actor James Brolin, with whom she tied the knot in 1998. Her stepson Josh Brolin has four children -- who are the singer's step-grandchildren. And By the Way will officially be released on Mar. 30, 2027. - Billboard, 8/6/26...... 
Gary Glitter has appeared in a London court over a historical sex offence charge dating back to 1978. In July 2025 Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) was accused of one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13, and three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14. Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Aug. 5, Glitter denied the charges. He appeared via video link from HMP Channings Wood in Devon, where he is currently being held. He was remanded in custody and instructed to appear at the Old Bailey in London on Sept. 2, either in person or via video. He then confirmed his name and date of birth. Throughout the hearing, the court heard how Gadd denied the allegations against him, adding that he did not know the complainant. The prosecutor said the offences took place between 1978 and 1981 when the accuser was eight to 11-years-old. Glitter reportedly lived nearby the girl, where he allegedly groomed her by giving her chocolate and inviting her inside his house. Gadd was one of the UK's biggest musicians throughout the 1970s, but was arrested in 2012 while police were conducting an investigation into Jimmy Savile's abuse claims. He was later arrested over eight sex offence charges involving girls aged between 12 and 14 in 2014. Though he denied the allegations, he was found guilty on several counts and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Though he was freed from jail after serving half his sentence in 2023, he landed back behind bars one month later after allegedly viewing downloaded images of children. - NME, 8/6/26...... Bruce Springsteen has praised health care workers who have helped his wife and E Street Band bandmate Patti Scialfa's battle with cancer in a pre-recorded message played at the 47th annual Pan-Mass Challenge fundraiser on Aug. 4. The Boss had generous, loving words for the many doctors and nurses who have helped Scialfa while sharing that the singer is in remission from multiple myeloma during the gala for the Pan-Mass Challenge bike race supporting cancer research and treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "We're a little late, but here we are and it's a pleasure to be with you," Springsteen said in an 8-minute prerecorded video, joking about how PMC founder and chairman Billy Starr first invited him to ride in the annual event way back in 1984. As he strummed an acoustic guitar from inside his home studio in New Jersey, Springsteen added, "Since 1980, you have inspired a community that has done something remarkable. You've never stopped believing that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. And because of that countless lives have been saved." He then made it personal, revealing to the room that Scialfa -- who he's been married to since 1991 and has three grown children with -- has been getting treatment at Dana-Farber for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer in which abnormal plasma cells group out of control. "As you know, Patti's been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years," Springsteen said in the pre-tape uploaded to X/Twitter by a fan. "But now, thankfully, she is in remission." Scialfa, 73, who was diagnosed in 2018, talked about her diagnosis in their 2024 documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. After thanking the team again, the Boss played an unplugged version of what he called "one of my best riding songs," before busting into a an acoustic "Born to Run." Springsteen and the E Street Band wrapped up their summer 2026 "Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour" on May 30 with a show In Philadelphia. - Billboard, 8/4/26...... Dolly Parton is set to receive the Americana Music Association's lifetime achievement award during the 2026 Americana Honors & Awards at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 16. The award honors Parton's commitment to excellence as an artist, songwriter and creator, and her work in building a music catalog that is rooted in Appalachian traditions while also threaded with honest storytelling and a tapestry of sounds including country, folk, bluegrass, Gospel and pop music. The "9 to 5" singer will accept the honor via video during the ceremony. Previous recipients include Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris and Buddy Guy. "We at the Americana Music Association have long admired Ms. Parton's work as a singer, songwriter, entertainer and one of the greatest ambassador's music has ever known," an AMA exec said in a statement ."With all of her extraordinary accomplishments -- from philanthropy to television, film and business -- our desire is to honor Dolly for what has always been at the heart of her legacy: a definitive songwriter and artist whose songs have shaped generations." With a career spanning more than six decades, East Tennessee native Parton has earned 10 Grammys, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. - Billboard, 8/6/26...... 
On Aug. 4 Van Morrison announced 10 more dates on his upcoming fall UK tour. The Celtic crooner had previously shared details of a five-night London residency in May, scheduled to take place at the new British Airways ARC arena in September. It'll follow the release of his latest album, Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge, in January. Now it's confirmed that Morrison will make an additional appearance in the capital when he headlines the New Wimbledon Theatre on Sept. 26. Following the extended 6-date London stint, Morrison is set to perform at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Oct. 8 and 9. He'll then make stops at Swansea Arena, Bristol Beacon, Plymouth Arena and Torquay's Princess Theatre, before closing out the month with a pair of gigs at Brighton Dome. In early November, he'll head to Scotland for shows at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Edinburgh's Usher Hall on Nov. 2 and 3 respectively. This spring, Morrison was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Jazz FM Awards. He recently performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and in summer 2025 opened for Neil Young at BST Hyde Park in London. - NME, 8/4/26..... The family of Michael Jackson has announced that Marlon Jackson is developing a new docuseries exploring the life of Jacksons patriarch Joe Jackson. Per a post made by The Jacksons on Instagram, the eight-episode series will be titled The Manager, The Mythology, The Legend, and will reportedly be an inside look into the man who guided the Jackson family's rise from Gary, Ind., to global superstardom. "Our father's life is replete with triumphs and challenges, and we firmly believe that this series will offer a distinctive and accurate portrayal of the man behind our family," Marlon Jackson, who is helping narrate and develop the program, told the gossip column Page Six. "We are thrilled to share my father's indelible legacy with fans worldwide, granting them an intimate glimpse into the remarkable individual we knew and loved." No premiere date has been announced, though streaming platform BLK Prime says more details about production and casting will be revealed in the coming months. - Billboard, 8/3/26...... Phil Collins detailed his recent battles with alcoholism in a wide-ranging interview with London's Sunday Times on Aug. 3. In it, the 75-year-old reflected on large portions of his career, discussed his personal life and spoke on mending his relationship with Paul McCartney. Collins revealed that in Apr. 2024, he was hospitalized in Switzerland following a relapse with alcohol and that his manager of 50 years summoned his five children to see him at his bedside. "Because there were some decisions to be made about 'Do we keep Phil on life support?' kind of thing. My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up," Collins said. "People were coming to say goodbye. But I don't remember them coming, I didn't have no idea this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn't see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong." In Nov. 2023, Collins was rushed to hospital and discharged three days later; several weeks later, he was rushed back into intensive care and spent seven months in hospital. "I was very lucky to have come out of that. Needless to say, I haven't had a drink since." Collins last performed live in 2022 as part of Genesis' farewell tour. He is no longer able to drum due to nerve damage and numerous knee and spine surgeries. Elsewhere in the interview, the "In the Air Tonight" singer discussed healing a rift with former Beatle McCartney after he said in a previous interview that the latter treated him "condescendingly." McCartney read the interview and reached out, "saying, 'I'm a bit disappointed, blah blah'. He said don't be so 'sacrosanct' was the word he used. I'm not sure what that means, but anyway it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth and obviously left a bad taste in his." An upcoming charity auction involving Collins and the King's Trust helped mend the relationship, when McCartney agreed to donate an item after Collins wrote him a letter. "I wish I hadn't said it, although it did happen. But we've made up, he's happy about the fact that we discussed it, and I'm happy we discussed it, so it was just really lovely that it's gone full circle now," he said. Collins is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act in November. "I think people on the board thought I was already in," Collins said on his belated entry. Had he not ever been inducted, "I'd have just put it down to being English and just being invisible." He was inducted as part of Genesis in 2010. - Billboard, 8/3/26...... 
Iconic Star Trek actor William Shatner has announced he's releasing a heavy metal album in the near future and revealed he is one of the Coachella festival's first bookings. When CNN anchor Elex Michaelson recently asked what he was most excited about these days, the 95-year-old Shatner didn't hesitate: "My heavy metal!" he replied, steering the conversation toward his latest creative venture, his upcoming heavy metal album his newly formed band, The *uckers. While running through the band's upcoming schedule, including their live debut at Riot Fest in Chicago on September 20th, he added that they would also be playing "the one in the desert." Michaelson quickly interjected, "Coachella?" and both Shatner and Gretsch answered in unison, "Coachella," letting slip a festival booking organizers have yet to announce. The group is set to perform material spanning Shatner's musical catalog while previewing songs from its forthcoming debut album, What the F Is Heavy Metal. As unlikely as a William Shatner metal project may sound, the actor has spent decades boldly carving out a parallel music career alongside his acting resume. Beginning with his 1968 spoken-word debut The Transformed Man, Shatner has since released a dozen studio albums, collaborating with artists including Ben Folds, Henry Rollins, Joe Jackson, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton and Iggy Pop. Along with the heavy metal album, Shatner also recently confirmed the release of a new spoken-word project due out in August. Coachella has not officially announced its 2027 lineup. If Shatner's appearance is indeed locked in, he'll head to Indio in April fresh off his Riot Fest debut. Shatner and Michaelson's delightful conversation can be viewed on Instagram. - Consequence.net, 8/2/26.
Patti Smith has revealed she was giddy and almost at a loss for words after being granted an audience with Pope Leo XIV on July 31. "Hi," she said softly as she sat down across from Pope Leo at his desk in the Apostolic Palace. After the meeting, Smith took to Instagram to say "This is a moment that shall forever produce a smile." Wearing a crucifix necklace and hair in her trademark braids, Smith has become an increasingly visible presence at the Vatican thanks to her friendship with the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary in the Vatican's culture ministry. She has said that while she is not Catholic, she was drawn in particular to Leo's predecessor Pope Francis and his "gentle, open, and steadfast sense of humanity." She also had a thing for the revered Pope John Paul I: Her 1979 tune "Wave" is about a make-believe conversation with the pope who had just died after a 33-day papacy. It begins "Hi. Hi," uttered in the same breathy voice Smith used with Leo on July 31. The pope clearly was familiar with the tune. "That was marvelous," he said. - Billboard, 8/1/26...... 
Roger Waters has shared a "reimagined" version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" in hopes it will be seen as "prophetic." The new nine-minute "Comfortably Numb" version transforms the song from 1979's The Wall into a tribute to the Palestinian people, featuring new English and Arabic lyrics and a video with footage filmed in war torn Gaza. Waters, along with Palestinian singer Mona Miari, have transformed original refrain of "I have become comfortably numb" has been adapted by Waters and Miari into: "I will never become comfortably numb." A new section written by Miari, titled "Hind's Lullaby," has also been added, inspired by the story of Hind Rajab, the six-year-old Palestinian girl killed alongside members of her family in Gaza in Jan. 2024. In an interview with Wired.com, Waters said he hopes that people hearing the song would resonate a decade from now. "I hope they'll hear that it was prophetic -- there is a right and a wrong," he said. "This is not complicated, and this song is on the right side of history." Miari added: "I hope 10 years from now, whoever listens to 'Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined' could also experience a free Palestine and look back at it as a testament about the truth and what happened, and just cherish that sense of resistance and urgency for freedom." Waters also addressed the accusations of anti-Semitism that have surrounded him in recent years. "I don't have an anti-Semitic bone in my body," he said. "I never did and I never will have. I couldn't give a shit what your religion is, frankly. I'm not interested in it." Waters has repeatedly denied accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing that his criticism is directed at the Israeli government and Zionism rather than the Jewish people. In 2023, Berlin police investigated the musician after he wore a Nazi-style uniform during a concert. He said the performance was "quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice and bigotry." That same year, the Campaign Against Antisemitism released the documentary The Dark Side Of Roger Waters, which included allegations about his past conduct. He dismissed the film as a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda. "Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined" can be viewed on YouTube. - New Musical Express, 8/2/26...... Speaking on the BBC Radio 2 program Tracks of My Years, Phil Collins recalled being "blown away" by Taylor Swift before her rise to international pop superstardom. Collins to interviewer Vernon Kay that he recalled meeting Swift at a Songwriters Hall of Fame event years ago, before she reached her current level of fame, and watching her perform her song "White Horse." "This very nice lady then got up on stage with a guitar and sang 'White Horse,' and it blew me away completely," he said. "Not only was the song great, and the sentiment of the song really got me, but she sang it beautifully. And it was just so simple, you know, her on a guitar." Collins added he has "always had a soft spot" for the track since. "I'm so pleased that she's the hugest thing in the world now because she kind of feels like she deserves it," he said. "I mean it's easy to knock someone that's got so much success, but I think she really deserves it." Elsewhere in the interview, Collins revealed that his signature solo hit "In the Air Tonight" was largely improvised. "A lot of my lyrics are kind of improvised. The classic example of that would be 'In the Air Tonight,' which was pretty much 80% improvised," he said, explaining that the song's atmospheric sound came from a Prophet-5 keyboard and that he "certainly didn't labor on it." He described the result as "the scenario of luck and good fortune" rather than craft. Collins is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2026 -- 16 years after entering as a member of Genesis. Across his solo career he scored seven No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1980s, including "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," "One More Night," "Sussudio" and "Groovy Kind of Love." "In the Air Tonight," the 1981 debut solo single he referenced, reached No. 19 on the Hot 100 but became one of the most enduring recordings of his career, later finding new life through film, television and a viral 2020 reaction video. - Billboard, 8/2/26...... 
Rod Stewart helped raise $1.7M for Stevie Van Zandt's TeachRock Education nonprofit during a fundraiser in Southampton, N.Y., on July 30. The intimate private concert for 200 guests at the home of philanthropists Bob and Lauren Day Roberts raised $1.7 million in support of TeachRock's mission to bring arts education to classrooms across the country. According to a release, one of the highlights of the night was when E Street Band member and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Van Zandt joined Stewart on stage for performances of Sam Cooke's "Having a Party" and The Faces' "Stay With Me." "Playing alongside the legend that is Stevie Van Zandt for TeachRock -- what a night," Stewart said in a statement about the event. "Music changed my life, and TeachRock is making sure it can change theirs too." "Rod didn't just give us an unforgettable performance this evening, he gave our mission a tremendous boost," Van Zandt said later. "Every dollar raised helps us put free arts education into more classrooms, and that's something worth celebrating." TeachRock's mission includes supplying educators with free, stardards-aligned curriculum that uses the history of popular music to engage students across subjects including history, social studies, language arts and science. The organization currently reaches more than one million students nationwide. - Billboard, 7/31/26...... Elton John marked 36 years of sobriety on July 31 by raising a glass of his sparkling non-alcoholic Elton John Zero Blanc de Blancs champagne. "36 years sober today," a smiling Sir Elton, wearing a patterned shirt and oversized square-framed glasses, captioned a celebratory photo on Instagram. "Raising a 0% glass to life. Grateful for every single day." He later shared the same image via Instagram Stories with his 1983 hit single and ode to perseverance, "I'm Still Standing," playing in the background. John opened up about his struggles with addiction in his 2019 memoir, Me, detailing his dependencies on cocaine and alcohol at the height of his fame. "You block it out until the problem of the thing you're facing becomes such a monumental thing that you explode with rage, and that's the way I handled confrontation," he told NPR in an interview that October. "I hated my addiction. I hated the way I behaved. I hated how I treated people. I hated what I'd become." John and his husband, David Furnish, announced their venture into the lucrative non-alcoholic drinks market in January this year. "What drew us to this product is the fact that it's the first one of its kind and that it's made differently," Furnish shared of the cuvée at the time. "All the non-alcoholic drinks we've all tried and haven't really enjoyed very much are made with alcohol and then de-alcoholised, whereas with this product, the grapes are fermented with good cultures and that creates all of the properties of a beautiful blanc de blancs." Elton's longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, recently told Rolling Stone that he thinks John may release a new album in 2026, though nothing is concrete yet. "Well, he's got a record coming out, I think, at the beginning of next year that I contributed to," Taupin said. "But I literally don't know when that is. He did it with [producer]Andrew Watt again. And he wrote it in a completely different way simply because of his eyesight problem." Elton's eye issues began in the summer of 2024, when an infection left him blind in his right eye. The new record will follow his 2025 joint LP with Brandi Carlile, Who Believes in Angels?. - Music-News.com, 7/31/26...... A year after his passing, the life and crazy times of late heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne will be the subject of the new Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness haunted house at Universal Studios theme parks during this year's annual "Halloween Horror Nights" event. "Ozzy Osbourne's shocking image was as haunting as his heavy metal hits. Now you'll enter the Prince of Darkness's kingdom where music and mayhem collide -- and everything's gone off the rails," according to a press release announcing the attraction. "Veer through a decaying world ripped straight from Ozzy's lyrics in this haunted house inspired by one of rock 'n' roll's greatest legends. Let the madness begin!" The new attraction will join the raft of other haunted houses at this year's Halloween Horror Nights, including ones dedicated to other Universal produced projects including Evil Dead Burn, Hellraiser and season five of Stranger Things and Sinners. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Osbourne's widow and longtime manager, Sharon Osbourne, said the experience that's part of HHN's 35th anniversary edition will tell the rocker's story from his working class childhood in Birmingham, England to his run as the frontman of Black Sabbath. "His music throughout every room is at the heart of it all," Sharon told the outlet. "Fans will also see scenes inspired by Ozzy's journey, from his early days as a little boy growing up in Birmingham, England, riding the train to and from London, to the iconic imagery and characters from across his career." The promo preview video for Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness haunted house can be viewed on YouTube. - Billboard, 7/29/26...... In other Black Sabbath-related news, guitarist Tony Iommi has announced his first solo album in over two decades, From the Dark. Set to arrive on Oct. 23 via BMG, the new album marks the first solo release from Iommi since he released his third solo project Fused back in 2001 alongside vocalist Glenn Hughes. It also marks his first new music since the death of his late Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne in July 2025. The first preview of the album is out now in the form of blistering lead single "World Alone" -- which received its premiere on July 30 at a special global streaming event in Iommi's hometown of Birmingham. The preview took place close to where the famous Black Sabbath Bridge is located, which was opened as a civic tribute to the iconic band in 2019. From The Dark will be available in several deluxe vinyl and CD formats, and the deluxe CD version will contain two bonus tracks called "Scent Of Dark" and "Defied." A limited edition 7" single of "World Alone," backed exclusively with an instrumental version, will be out on Sept. 4. - NME, 7/30/26...... 
The Beatles' official website announced on July 29 that a Super Deluxe edition of the band's seminal 1965 album Rubber Soul will be released by UMG and Apple Corps Ltd later in 2026 with a bevy of new mixes, never-before-heard home demos and an 88-page book with an introduction by Paul McCartney. Newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell, the definitive version of the album will be released on Oct. 2 via Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe and be packaged in a 4CD/5LP edition featuring new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes alongside the original mono mix and the original Capitol U.S. album version. The new stereo mix was sourced directly from the original four-track master tapes and the audio enhanced with the help of cutting-edge "de-mixing" technology developed by the team at director Peter Jackson's WingNut Films Productions Ltd. for Jackson's Get Back documentary. The Super Deluxe editions will feature 24 early session recordings, including 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unheard John Lennon demos, including early versions of "Day Tripper," "We Can Work It Out" and "Little Girl," a previously unheard John Lennon song outline that has never been released before. There will also be 2CD and 2LP versions with a curated selection of session highlights, demos and the album version of the double A-side lead single, "We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper." Originally released on Dec. 3, 1965, the Fab Four's sixth studio album was fronted by the double A-side single and was recorded over four weeks beginning in October of that year. The LP expanded the group's pop sound with the addition of the sitar and harmonium, helping to pave the way for the psychedelic rock revolution of the late 1960s, while expanding the parameters of what was possible on a cohesive pop album. It contains such classics as the frenetic "Drive My Car," the meditative "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)," as well as "Nowhere Man," "Michelle," "Girl" and the introspective "In My Life." The long-awaited Rubber Soul revamp comes after similar treatments for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017), The Beatles (White Album) (2018), Abbey Road (2019), Let It Be (2021), Revolver (2022) and Anthology (2025). A taste of the new release, "Michelle (Take 1)," has been shared on YouTube. - Billboard, 7/29/26...... In other Beatles news, Paul McCartney is among a dozen artists nominated for a prestigious 2026 Mercury Prize, which is awarded annually and recognizes artistic achievement in albums across a range of genres. Sir Paul is nominated for his 20th solo studio album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, the first time McCartney has been nominated for the prize in his storied career. Albums released between Aug. 30 2025 and July 17, 2026 were eligible for consideration this year. The 12 shortlisted albums were chosen by an independent judging panel chaired by Jeff Smith, head of music, BBC 6 Music & Radio 2. The prize will be awarded at a ceremony at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Oct. 22. Fans can purchase tickets for the ceremony, which will include a number of performances by the nominated artists, at the Mercury Prize awards' official website. - Billboard, 7/30/26...... Elsewhere on the Fab Four front, The Kinks' Dave Davies has revisited the band's old rivalry with The Fab Four, saying George Harrison was the only member he "really liked." Davies made the comments at the launch of the band's new art exhibition, "The Kinks: Brothers," at Gibson Garage London. "John Lennon didn't like The Kinks, he really didn't," Davies said, via The Mirror. Laughing, he continued: "In fact, John Lennon didn't really like anybody! George Harrison was the only one I really liked. He was the nicest guy. Paul McCartney wrote a few decent songs, yeah." Davies has previously recalled Lennon being fiercely protective of The Beatles' equipment when the two groups played together. "He wouldn't let us touch anything," he said. "'Don't you dare touch those!' He was a paranoid guy, but funny." After reports of his latest comments were published, however, Davies clarified that he remained a fan of the Liverpool band on X/Twitter. "I like the Beatles and I do appreciate all the kind words Paul McCartney has said about the Kinks," he wrote. The rivalry between the groups dates back to the early stages of The Kinks' career, when they appeared below The Beatles at Bournemouth's Gaumont Cinema on Aug. 2, 1964. The show came two days before the release of The Kinks' breakthrough single "You Really Got Me," which went on to give them their first UK Number One. Kinks frontman Ray Davies later recalled Lennon making a dismissive remark about The Kinks being there solely to warm up the audience, only for their performance of "You Really Got Me" to receive an ecstatic response. "The Kinks: Brothers" exhibition reimagines a 1968 passport photobooth picture of the siblings taken in East Finchley, North London, through a series of mixed-media works on paper and canvas. The exhibition will run at Gibson Garage London until Sept. 6. - NME, 7/27/26...... 
Willie Nelson has weighed in on the current controversy of the profusion of AI data centers being proposed across America. Posting an open letter on X/Twitter on July 28, the country icon addressed his post to "whom it may concern and to everyone else as well," in which he lamented that potential plans to build one of the energy- and water-hogging plants could change the nature of Abbott, Tex., where he owns a home and farm. "I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night," Nelson, 93, wrote. "And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land. The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter)." Nelson -- who has spent more than four decades raising money and awareness about the plight of small American farms via his co-founded annual concert Farm Aid -- wrote that the strength of rural America has never come from "big industrial footprints," but rather from "generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land. All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn't steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers' livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them." Like many local, state and federal authorities, Texas politicians are in a heated battle about the building of massive data centers to support the AI boom. After previously calling the Lone Star State the global "epicenter of AI development," Republican Gov. Greg Abbott recently pushed for a ban on AI centers in rural neighborhoods and stricter regulations on utility and water usage to protect the state's power grid and save his constituents from rapidly rising electricity rates. It is not clear if Nelson's letter was targeting a specific data center near Abbott, which is about an hour south of Dallas. But a May Gallup Poll reported that seven in 10 Americans oppose local construction of AI data centers, with 48 percent strongly opposed and just seven percent strongly in favor. Nelson ended his letter with a stark warning: ""Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let's not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott." - Billboard, 7/29/26...... Tom Waits has released the full version of his sardonic spoken-word track "The Fly." The track serves as the B-side to "Boots On The Ground," Waits' politically charged collaboration with Massive Attack, which was released online in April and marked the singer-songwriter's first new original music since his 2011 album Bad As Me. A tease of "The Fly" was released several months ago, but now the entire track has been shared, and it sees Waits offer a begrudging tribute to the brief and unloved life of the common housefly. "You have no house, well you have mine / You have no real friends, stay away from the wine. House fly go to sleep, say goodbye / No one will weep when you die," he recites. The lyric video, illustrated by the artist's son Casey Waits, can be viewed on Instagram. - NME, 8/1/26...... Arlene Smith, one of the co-founders and lead vocalists of the pioneering 1950s girl group The Chantels, died of a heart attack at a New York City hospital on July 29. She was 84. The Chantels were formed in early 1950s by a group of school friends from St. Anthony of Padua in the Bronx and were one of the first Black girl groups to score national chart success. With a combination of flawless harmonies and emotion-packed lovesick ballads such as "The Plea" and "He's Gone," the group's mix of doo wop, soul and R&B swing helped distinguish them at a time when Black female pop acts were a rarity on the charts. Born on Oct. 5, 1941, Ms. Smith was a classically trained vocalist who got her break when as a 12-year-old she scored an audition alongside her childhood friends and future bandmates Sonia Gorin, Lois Harris, Jackie Landry and Rene Minus for record producer Richard Barrett (of the doo-wop group The Valentines) when the group's members were all in their teens, ranging from 14 to 17. They landed a recording contract in 1957 with End Records, future home to such groups as Little Anthony and the Imperials and The Miracles, and their debut single, the barbershop quartet-meets-soul lament "He's Gone" -- co-written by Smith and Barrett -- landed at No. 71 on the Billboard Top 100, the predecessor to the Hot 100 singles chart. That set the table for their breakthrough with the Barrett-penned "Maybe," the aforementioned boyfriend heartbreak ballad about trying to win back a lover who is "gone, gone, gone" that ran all the way up to No. 2 on the Most Played R&B by Jockeys chart and is considered one of the greatest girl group songs of all time. After receding from music in the 1970s, Ms. Smith got her master's degree in education and taught music at a Bronx elementary school until her retirement in the 2000s. The Chantels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 and made the final ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and 2009, but have so far not made the final cut. - Billboard, 7/31/26...... 
Original Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm joined his old band for a song during a co-headlining concert by Foreigner and Lynyrd Skynyrd at Toronto's RBC Amphitheatre on July 30. Gramm, now 76 years old with his performing retirement coming this year, showed up to introduce the group, plug his first solo album in 17 years, Released, and later sang lead vocals on the last song of Foreigner's 90-minute set, "Hot Blooded." Even though all the original members of Foreigner are no longer on the road, the industry itself still accepts them as a group and certainly the thousands of fans who packed the amphitheatre from the seats right up to the lawns seemingly had no problems watching them, purists aside. The diminutive but powerful Mexican-born Luis Maldonado, who's performed with Foreigner since 2021 but moved to frontman at the end of 2025 when Kelly Hansen retired, otherwise sang lead vocals during the group's hits-heavy performance with such standouts as "Double Vision," "Cold as Ice," "Waiting For a Girl Like You," "Jukebox Hero," and "I Want To Know What Love Is," the latter accompanied by a youth choir from Guelph. Guitarist Mick Jones still serves as the official group leader for Foreigner even though he gave up touring in 2022 due to Parkinson's disease and is currently dealing with Alzheimer's. As for Lynyrd Skynyrd, who lost three band members in a 1977 plane crash, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, their southern rock went down smoother in some places than it did others. Led by Ronnie's brother, Johnny Van Zant -- who's been lead vocalist since the group reformed in 1987 -- the nine-member ensemble kicked their hour-and-40-minute set off strong with "Working For MCA," "What's Your Name," "That Smell," and "Saturday Night Special." "Canada! Skynyrd's in the house!" yelled Van Zant, with an American flag wrapped around his mic stand, to huge cheers. They wrapped their set with a one-two punch of "Sweet Home Alabama" (and its Neil Young-bashing verse) and encore signature song "Free Bird." - Canoe.com, 7/31/26...... Actor Vincent Pastore, who was best known for playing Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on HBO's The Sopranos, died of natural causes at his home on City Island in the Bronx on Aug. 1. He was 80. Mr. Pastore played a pivotal role during the first two seasons of The Sopranos as a close confidante of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Once Tony learned that the FBI had managed to flip Salvatore and turn him into an informant, he was killed in the Season 2 finale. Salvatore continued to appear in later episodes either through flashbacks and archival footage. In addition to acting in films like Mickey Blue Eyes, Revolver and Shark Tale, Mr. Pastore also appeared in 1990's Goodfellas, 1993's Carlito's Way and A Bronx Tale. Elsewhere on TV, Mr. Pastore had roles in Law & Order, Blue Bloods, Bull, Hawaii Five-0 and also competed on seasons of Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing With the Stars. "He loved being an actor," his manager Robert Attermann told Fox News. "He was passionate about his craft and was always encouraging, respectful, and generous with young actors, taking the time to offer guidance and support whenever he could." He is survived by his daughter Renee. - Canoe.com, 8/2/26.
On July 27 Carly Simon revealed that she's been battling a pair of heath issues lately -- Parkinson's disease and a type of skin cancer. However Simon, 81, is vowing in a written statement to Billboard that she is "still very much here" despite her recent diagnoses. The "You're So Vain" singer cknowledged that she's gotten a number of letters lately asking about her "relative silence" and what she's been up to. "The truth is, I've been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease," she wrote. "It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson's is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I'm so tired I can't get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself." Simon said her issues began with arthritis in both knees and one hip, but after getting all three joints replaced, she figured her continued difficulty walking was part of the recovery process. As her mobility continued to deteriorate and she had trouble standing up from chairs and walking without assistance, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the Mayo Clinic. Parkinson's, a progressive brain disorder with symptoms including tremors, slowness in movement, limb stiffness and balance issues, affects an estimated 1.1 million people in the U.S. with nearly 90,000 people diagnosed with the disorder every year. Simon said she began treatment, including taking medication, to help with joint stiffness and other unspecified symptoms. "There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness. It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have," Simon wrote. She added that during the same unspecified period in which she was diagnosed with Parkinson's, which has no cure, she was also treated for basal cell carcinoma on her face. According to Mayo Clinic, the condition is a type of skin cancer that originates in the basal cells and most often occurs on areas of the body that have had a lot of sun exposure. And though the cancer was removed, the surgery affected Simon's appearance and made her more self-conscious about being seen in public. "I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written 'You're So Vain.')," she wrote. " And this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material." Simon also revealed some good news for her fans -- she's begun recording a new album titled Comes in Waves. The 12-track album, which was primarily written and recorded at the singer's Martha's Vineyard home, is due out on Aug. 14. In addition to late rapper and friend John Fort, the album features appearances from the singer's son, Ben Taylor, and daughter, Sally Taylor, who painted the album's cover and contributed vocals to the project. A second single from the LP, "Peaches," is due out on July 31. Her most recent album of all-new material was 2008's This Kind of Love. - Billboard, 7/27/26...... The Beach Boys have rescheduled the remaining dates on their 2026 North American tour to allow singer Mike Love, who is the last remaining classic-era member of the iconic American band, to "recharge." The announcement came in a post on Love's 
Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar has extended an unexpected invitation to his fellow former VH singer -- David Lee Roth -- following the recent cancellation of many of Roth's upcoming tour dates. On July 23, it was revealed original VH vocalist Roth had canceled the majority of his scheduled live appearances, with the exception of a performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota on Aug. 7. Roth, who announced the tour in January, had been slated to perform a series of amphitheater and theater dates across the United States. Shows in Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky and Illinois were removed from his official website davidleeroth.com, while four August and September performances remained available for purchase through Ticketmaster. He has yet to publicly comment on the cancellations. After learning of the canceled dates, Hagar -- VH's other longtime frontman and Roth's sometimes rival -- posted a heartfelt video on social media expressing his support. "Hey, Dave. Sammy here. I just got a call from Michael Anthony about your tour getting canceled. And I wanna say from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. I hope you're well. I hope there's not a physical problem," he posted on 
Bernie Taupin has announced the release of his first solo album in almost 40 years, The Sea Has No Mercy. The longtime Elton John songwriting partner will release the followup to his three previous solo efforts -- 1971's Taupin, 1980's He Who Rides the Tiger and his most recent solo effort, 1987's Tribe. "With age comes wisdom, which is a natural progression," Taupin told Rolling Stone while announcing the album on July 28. "I don't regret any of the records I've made in the past. They all had a point at the time they were made. But this is the most satisfying record I've ever made." Taupin continued: "I'm talking about in my own canon, not with the Elton thing, because that's a completely different ballpark... I wanted to be able to express my own feelings on my own level in my own writing. That's what makes it more important than anything else I've ever done." Taupin, 76, explained that he thought he was done making his own music for many years, but working on his 2023 memoir, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me, and a new track for his upcoming documentary film made him realize he "had all of these songs in my head". "I found myself just coming up with all of these ideas," he noted. "In the long run, the album became a manifesto of somebody who's 76 years old looking back, reflecting, and just a little bit pissed off at the world." Taupin also indicated that he's already "written five or six songs that I've been playing around with and going back and forth with" for the follow-up to The Sea Has No Mercy. - Music-News.com, 7/28/26...... Mirroring their success on the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart, The Rolling Stones have debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Top Album Sales chart dated July 25 with their latest studio LP 
Tony Thorpe, the guitarist and vocalist who assisted in the propulsion of the English glam-rock group The Rubettes to international success in the 1970s, has died at the age of 80. Mr. Thorpe's death was announced in a statement shared to his 
A federal judge has refused Cher's request that Sonny Bono's widow Mary Bono repay more than $1 million in legal bills the music legend racked up during their court battle over royalties to "I Got You Babe" and other Sonny & Cher hits. Cher wanted to be reimbursed for the legal fees she spent defeating Mary Bono's effort to stop paying royalties under Cher's divorce settlement with Sonny -- an argument rejected by a judge in 2024. Cher claimed Mary had "dragged" the case out for years by taking "unreasonable positions." On July 20, Judge John A. Kronstadt said the rules that would have allowed such forced repayment didn't apply to Cher and Mary's specific dispute, since it centered more on contracts than federal copyright law: "The motion is denied," he wrote. The ruling leaves Cher the winner of the overall case, but stuck paying an eye-watering legal tab she says ended up at $1,023,605 -- a bill that's not atypical for top-flight law firms handling years of complex litigation. Mary is currently challenging Cher's earlier victory in the case at a federal appeals court, which has yet to rule on it. Sonny and Cher's 1978 divorce settlement gave her a permanent 50% cut of the publishing revenue from songs written before they split up, including "The Beat Goes On" and "Baby Don't Go." Bono later married Mary, then passed away suddenly in a 1998 skiing accident. Sonny's music publishing grants became eligible for termination beginning in 2018, prompting Mary to notify publishers of her intent to reclaim certain interests. Cher, 79, rose to fame alongside Sonny in the 1960s before establishing a decades-long solo career that brought her Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy wins. In February, the music legend made a special appearance at the 2026 Grammy Awards to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. - Billboard, 7/21/26...... Deceased '80s pop sensation George Michael's former manager Andros Georgiou has says he hopes that a previously-unfinished duet between Michael and his good friend Elton John can be released, over three decades after it was recorded. Michael worked with Sir Elton on a chart-topping remake of John's 1975 hit "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in the 1990s, following them singing it together at Live Aid in 1985. He died on Christmas Day in 2016 due to issues related to heart and liver disease. Now, his former manager Andros Georgiou has revealed that the former WHAM! singer once started work on a duet with Sir Elton -- providing vocals for a song called "This Kind Of Love." The track has remained unfinished and unreleased for over three decades now, however Georgiou has expressed hopes to add the final touches and release it posthumously. Georgiou discussed "This Kind Of Love" with the UK tabloid The Sun as he is promoting his new film Trojan Souls, which centers on Michael's unreleased 1993 album of the same name and was set to see him collaborate with big names including Stevie Wonder, Sade, Seal and Aretha Franklin. It ultimately got shelved due to disputes with the label. "Elton came in to do a song called 'This Kind Of Love'," Georgiou told the paper, adding that he has also got an "incredible interview with Elton that no one has seen" yet, which he is "saving for when the film gets snapped up by a streamer like Apple." In that interview, the manager said, John shares his admiration for the "Careless Whisper" singer and adds that he would "literally do anything for George." - NME, 7/22/26...... 
Pres. Donald Trump's longtime critic Bruce Springsteen has been attacked by a fellow musician -- Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain -- for making his opposition to the president a fixture of his shows. Cain, 76, took aim at Springsteen, also 76, during an appearance on the podcast The Complete Disaster Network (available on 
The classic 1971 children's musical fantasy film 
1950s and 1960s rock & roll hitmaker Freddy Cannon who brought energy and vigor to pop radio playlists in the early rock era, died on July 17 in a California hospice facility. He was 89. Mr. Cannon's longtime friend, iHeart Radio's Tom Cuddy, confirmed that Mr. Cannon died following a brief bout with cancer, and his children Conny and Billy were with him in the days before his death. Mr. Cannon landed three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Tallahassee Lassie" (No. 6 in 1959), "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (No. 3 in 1960) and "Palisades Park" (No. 3 in 1962). His nickname "Boom Boom" was inspired by the big bass drum sound on his records. Mr. Cannon reportedly holds the record for the most appearances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand (110 appearances), and also made the top 15 on the Hot 100 in 1965 with the rollicking hit "Action" from Clark's daily ABC-TV series Where the Action Is. The artist, who notched 23 Hot 100 hits between 1959 and 1981, was born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. on Dec. 4, 1936 in Revere, Mass. He lived in the state until he was in his late teens when he and his wife Jeanette moved to Philadelphia on the advice of legendary TV host Dick Clark, the city were Clark produced his daily American Bandstand broadcast for ABC-TV. He worked with some of the top musical performers of that era, including Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chubby Checker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, Connie Francis and Brenda Lee, and performed on many of the popular music TV shows of the era, including Shindig, The Midnight Special, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is and Sha Na Na. Mr. Cannon was reportedly working on music at his home in Oxnard, Calif., right up to his death. He is survived by his children, Conny and Billy; his sister, Mary Lou; his son-in-law, Jim, and daughter-in-law, Beth; five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. His wife (and high school sweetheart) Jeanette, preceded him in death on Sept. 25, 2024, and his son, John, died on Apr. 13, 2026. - Billboard, 7/19/26.
On July 16 Bob Dylan officially announced he'll embark on a brand-new UK tour in 2026 in November and December that will feature a five-night stand at London's Royal Festival Hall. Alongside his London residency, the tour will stop at major venues across the country, including Bournemouth, Birmingham, and Sheffield, followed by a double-night run at the Opera House in Blackpool before he heads to London. Dylan's ongoing "Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour" -- named after his surprise, critically acclaimed 2020 studio album -- has been met with massive international praise. The upcoming London dates will mark the legendary artist's first performance in the British capital since a triumphant three-night run at the Royal Albert Hall back in 2024. The UK tour will be hosted in partnership with Yondr, which requires all attendees to secure their mobile phones and video cameras in specialized pouches for the duration of the performance to ensure an intimate and completely undistracted atmosphere. - Music-News.com, 7/16/26...... As they score their 15th UK Number One on the Official Albums Chart on July 17 with their 25th studio LP 
AC/DC kicked off their 2026 North American tour in Charlotte, N.C., on July 11 with a 21-song setlist packed with hits. The Aussie headbangers opened up with their classic "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" from 1979's Highway To Hell, followed by the title track from that record later in the night. Two songs from their latest album, 2020's Power Up made the cut too: "Shot In The Dark" and "Demon Fire," as did five songs from fan favorite 1980 album Back In Black, including "You Shook Me All Night Long," "Hells Bells" and the title track. The set wrapped up with "T.N.T" and "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)," and the set also came just two days after their late frontman Bon Scott would have turned 80-years-old. The dates, which mark the latest leg of the rock icons' "PWR/UP" tour, continued in Ohio, before more shows in Wisconsin, Texas and Colorado later in July. In August, AC/DC will play in California, Nevada, Georgia and more, before wrapping up the North American leg in Montana, New Jersey, Philadelphia and more. - NME, 7/15/26...... David Byrne has announced a new UK book tour later in 2026 to promote his new book 
KISS announced on July 15 they are cruising back to Las Vegas for their annual "KISS Kruise: Land-locked in Vegas" event. The second edition of the terra firma-based dry voyage will take place from Nov. 13-15 at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and feature a special all-star tribute to the band's original guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in Oct. 2025 at 74. "The Ace Frehley All-Star Tribute" will feature a memorial to the "Spaceman" from singer/bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist/singer Paul Stanley, former guitarist Tommy Thayer and longtime drummer Eric Singer. The bandmates -- who each personally selected a song that they will perform individually as part of the tribute -- will be joined by as-yet-unannounced special guest stars, with support from the Ace Frehley Band. "Another year of the KISS Kruise experience and the best one yet is on the way. Everything we've learned at sea and on land over the past years is going into making this the ultimate weekend with us," said Stanley in a statement. "No ship?!? No problem! What's so awesome about KISS Kruise: Land-Locked is that it's a full-scale resort takeover created to give us all 100% of what we've come to love and expect. We can't wait to be back together with the KISS Army and Navy from around the world for more killer performances, incredible artists, events, and exclusive experiences you won't find anywhere else." Other festivities include a KISS look-alike contest, KISS Army karaoke, late night DJ sets, interactive and replica exhibits, archival displays, and exclusive merch. Ticket and accomodations information can be found at kisskruisevegas.com. - Billboard, 7/15/26...... A new book by Paul McCartney's former manager Richard Ogden includes claims that Sir Paul wasn't exactly the most genial musician all the time, despite his outward appearance as the eternally "thumbs aloft" family man in Wings and in his solo career since. In 
In a new interview with BBC Radio 2, Queen drummer opened up about the chances of the band touring again. "Well, it is a big machine to gear up, if you know what I mean." He went on to say that he "loved playing live, always have," but the possibility of a future tour is largely down to how guitarist Brian May feels about it. "I think it's more down to Brian [May] than me," he said, before giving it his approval, adding, "So if we both wanna do it, I'd be happy to. But we'll see. Never say never." Taylor then praised current Queen frontman Adam Lambert, saying, "We have been working for a while with Adam Lambert, who has the most incredible voice." Taylor's comments come after May said earlier this year that he would refuse to tour in the US, reasoning that the country is a "dangerous place." Before that, the longtime animal rights activist said that Queen would not headline Glastonbury Festival "because of the politics of the people who run it," citing founder Michael Eavis' support of badger culling in the UK over the years. Last fall, May revealed that Queen had worked on some new material with Lambert, and said they had considered bringing their live show to The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. "I'm very keen on the Sphere," May explained. "It's got my mind working." May's wife Anita Dobson implied in December that, despite Queen working on new music, it was unlikely that they would resume full-scale touring. "They will do little bits and bobs, but they won't do those big tours," she said. May suffered a minor stroke in 2024, and last November said his health issues had served as a "wake-up call." - NME, 7/14/26...... Speaking of The Sphere, Rush are reportedly "in talks" over a residency at the innovative Las Vegas venue. The "Tom Sawyer" hitmakers -- who were previously said to have rejected a Vegas residency at the T-Mobile Arena in late 2015 and early 2016 -- are thought to have been in talks with Sphere bosses "for a while," according to The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column. "The Sphere has become the premium entertainment spot in Vegas," the source said. "All the acts who have performed there have been at capacity for every show because audiences love the audio-visual experience." - Music-News.com, 7/17/26...... Oscar-winning Irish actress Brenda Fricker, whose career stretched decades but who became unforgettable to millions as the gentle "Pigeon Lady" in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, died on July 16. She was 81. At 19, Ms. Fricker landed an uncredited role in the 1964 film Of Human Bondage, kicking off a career that would eventually make her one of Ireland's most respected performers. After years of television and film work, Ms. Fricker broke through in 1986 as nurse Megan Roach on the BBC drama Casualty. Four years later came the role that changed everything -- playing the mother of Daniel Day-Lewis' Christy Brown in My Left Foot, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990. U.S. ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh described Ms. Fricker as "a giant of Irish film," writing on X that "From Dublin to Hollywood, her work brought Ireland's stories to the world and inspired generations on both sides of the Atlantic." - Canoe.com, 7/17/26...... Veteran TV actor Hal Williams, who appeared in American sitcom staples like 227 and 
ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus was the opening keynote speaker at the UN's AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland on July 13 and said artists "deserve a place at the table" in the age of AI. Ulvaeus asked the simple question "AI is good for whom?" and urged the audience to remember the point of view of artists and creatives in the pursuit of AI development. "A technology is good when the human beings whose work made it possible are not erased by it, when they consent to it, when they share in what it creates," he said. Ulvaeus continued that he hopes "one extra chair will always be reserved at that table for the creators whose work made these systems possible. These tools are extraordinary, but they could not have been built without us." Ulvaeus has never been shy about embracing emerging technology -- just a few years ago, the iconic Swedish pop quartet used "motion capture and motion learning" to create the groundbreaking virtual ABBA Voyage show in London, which uses technology to de-age and simulate the performances of the four singers night after night. "Some people sometimes ask me, 'How can you lecture the world about AI and human creativity, and then sell tickets to watch a machine perform as you?'" he explained. "The answer is one word: consent. We chose it. We participated in it. We are paid for it. The technology serves the artist because the artists were at the table from the very beginning, and the audiences love it. So, I guess that's AI for good." Ulvaeus continued, "I'm not going to stand here and tell you that machine-made music is cold or soulless, and that audiences will always hear the difference. I know that isn't true. I am genuinely in awe of the tools that have been built, but awe is not the same as acceptance." Notably, Ulvaeus did not complain about how record labels and publishers specifically are treating licensed training data, but his address added to the growing chorus of music industry power players asking for consensual AI training in 2026. - Billboard, 7/13/26...... Appearing at his annual "Peace and Love" event on July 7 to celebrate his 86th birthday, Ringo Starr revealed that The Beatles had one rule on long van rides: "own up to the fart." Offering the tip to young musicians starting out, he said: "If you're in the van and you fart - own up to it." "We just occasionally with four guys in a three-hour car journey, one of us would make a noise. And at the beginning, it was like 'well, it wasn't me." Starr continued: "And we realized, well, just to get it out of the way, say I did it. And it worked a treat and it took the pressure off. It wasn't a thing. We didn't like go oh, 'I'm going next'." Elsewhere, Ringo -- who continues to hit the road with his All Star Band -- confessed that he intended to quit touring in 2021, but five years on, he cannot get enough of playing live. "I have been calling it the last tour since 2021 -- and my kids are fed up with me now. I say ' That's it - I am not going out anymore'; and they are like 'oh dad you said that last year'," the infatigable musician said. "And I out again. I am out this year. It is what I do. It is how it is. I have got a great band and it just works. We used to rehearse for two days, now we rehearse for two hours and we are ready to rock." Ringo also admitted he's clueless about why he connects so strongly with younger generations: "I don't know (why I appeal to them), but I have got 10 grandkids. I don't know what it is. It is one of those things." - Music-News.com, 7/13/26...... 
Co-founding Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward took to 
The Rolling Stones launched their new album 
Actor Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the 1972-77 NBC series 
Comedic actress Louise Lasser, best known for playing the befuddled Mary Hartman on the hit 1970s syndicated sitcom