Foreigner co-founder Mick Jones has struck a deal with the music publishing and talent management company Primary Wave for Jones' share of the band's publishing and master recordings, along with name, image and likeness rights. Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, Primary Wave typically includes buying a majority stake in an artist's music assets, likely Jones' publishing and his share of Foreigner's artist royalties from the band's master recordings from its hit albums, which are not owned by the band. The deal also includes a stake in the later Foreigner albums that Jones owns, including the upcoming Foreigner concert LP, In the Eye of the Storm Live, to be released on July 24. In a statement, Jones praised Primary Wave as a "unique company that focuses on heritage artists and develops them with incredible success" and he is "personally thrilled" that the company will be "working alongside his long-term friends and managers, Phil Carson and Stewart Young, to build upon the awareness of Foreigner and our songs." According to the announcement, Foreigner has accumulated more than 80 million album consumption units around the globe from its catalog of nine studio albums, 11 live albums and 16 compilations, and its catalong is still generating healthy activity in the U.S. Primary Wave has previously struck similar deals with such artists as Bad Company's Paul Rodgers, America and Paul Anka. - Billboard, 7/8/26...... 
The Ramones announced on July 7 that a 50th anniversary tribute to the iconic '70s punk rockers' eponymous 1976 debut LP will take place on Aug. 30 at Los Angeles' Hollywood Forever Cemetery and hosted by movie legend John Travolta. Headlining will be an all-star Ramones cover band fronted by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Rancid's Tim Armstrong, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and former Ramones bassist CJ Ramone, as well as some as-yet-unannounced special surprise guests. "The spirit of the Ramones is alive in every backyard punk show, punk club and festival," said Billie Joe Armstrong in a statement. "Generation after generation of cretins and weirdos become Ramones lovers. Kids are influenced by the Ramones and they don't even know it yet. Viva Ramones!" Armstrong added, "From the moment I first heard the Ramones, music was never the same. They are my favorite band of all time! I can't wait to play those great and perfect Ramones songs with my friends CJ, Travis and Billie. It's gonna be wild!" In addition to the all-star set of Ramones covers, the evening will include a double-feature screening of the 50th anniversary edition of the horror classic Carrie, as well as Travolta's new film, Propeller One-Way Night Coach. Proceeds from the event are earmarked for the David Agus MD Cancer Research at Ellison Institute, and tickets for the event are currently available at ticketwave.com. The Ramones, released on Apr. 23, 1976, is considered to be the spark that lit the global punk revolution thanks to its 14-song, 30-minute blitz of indelible classics including "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Beat on the Brat," "Judy is a Punk," and "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." As part of the yearlong celebration of the group's golden anniversary, Rhino Records is preparing a limited edition, first-time picture disc pressing of The Ramones on July 17, as well as a 2LP colored edition of Live at the Roxy, 8/12/76 on July 31. - Billboard, 7/7/26...... People magazine has revealed that Paul McCartney was among the performers at the July 3 wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at New York's Madison Square Garden, reviving The Beatles' US breakthrough classic "I Want to Hold Your Hand" live for the first time since 1964. "After the ceremony, Taylor's mom Andrea invited everyone into the reception room where the stage was set up," a source told People on July 5. The reception space was also where Stevie Nicks performed, the source said, which was confirmed by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts on July 4. Prior to the Swift-Kelce wedding, Sir Paul had not performed "I Want to Hold Your Hand" live since the Beatles' Sept. 1964 concert at New York's Paramount Theatre, according to setlist.fm. The John Lennon/McCartney composition was a seven-week No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart that same year. Swift recently showed her admiration for McCartney by sharing an Instagram post from the former Beatle promoting his newly released solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane. "Never not inspired by this eternally exceptional artist," Swift wrote on her Instagram Stories. McCartney also attended one of Swift's Eras Tour shows at London's Wembley Stadium in 2024 as a VIP guest, where fan-captured video showed him dancing along to The Tortured Poets Department track "But Daddy I Love Him." - Billboard, 7/5/26...... 
In other Beatles-related news, Ringo Starr was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Liverpool on the occasion of his 86th birthday on July 7. "I want to thank the University of Liverpool for this honorary degree and for coming all the way to LA to bestow it. I'm really honoured," the BBC reported Starr as saying, and the drummer also encouraged attendees to "follow your dreams." "I've been thinking back on my life a lot lately," Starr mused. "And when I chose to become a drummer full-time, my family discouraged me. And they could have been right, but they weren't. It all worked out." Ringo continued: "So to all the graduates back in Liverpool, I send peace and love and want to say don't be afraid to follow your dreams, or take that right turn and see where it goes." University of Liverpool chancellor, Wendy Beetlestone, added that it was a "great privilege to recognise Ringo, whose influential musical work, particularly in The Beatles, has helped shape the identity and global reputation of Liverpool," the BBC reported. Starr's birthday is a globally recognised event in the music world. Since 2008, he has hosted an annual event encouraging fans everywhere to pause and say or think "Peace and Love" precisely at noon in their local time zones. - Music-News.com, 7/8/26...... On July 8 Elton John took to Instagram to announce two final surprise shows in Mexico City, as the final conclusion of his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour, three years after it originally ended. The tour was originally scheduled to conclude in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside a hip injury which forced him to postpone his remaining European and UK dates in Sept. 2021, led to the tour's extension into 2023. Among the shows cancelled were a number in Mexico. Now, the Rocket Man has announced two shows at Mexico City's Estadio Banorte on Oct. 2 and 3. "Mexico City has always held a special place in my heart," Sir Elton noted in his Instagram post. "I was truly disappointed that the pandemic kept me from touring Latin America during my Farewell tour which makes this return especially meaningful. I'm thrilled to finally share this very special moment with my fans after all these years," he added. Elton last played Mexico in 2012 at the Auditorio Nacional. He recently revealed that he had completed a new album while at the Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto, where he received the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize. Meanwhile, the superstar is among several high-profile celebrities to lose a hacking court case in the U.K. John and husband David Furnish were joined by Prince Harry, actor Elizabeth Hurley and more in their battle against the British tabloids The Daily Mail and Mail Sunday. The plaintiffs claimed the papers had unlawfully obtained information by hacking into their messages, tapping landlines or acquiring medical records. Both publications' parent company, Associated Newspaper Limited (ANL), denied wrongdoing. The ruling by judge Matthew Nicklin on July 7 dismissed the claims, saying they had "failed to prove the allegations of UIG (alleged unlawful information gathering)" during a 10-week trial at London's High Court, which began in January. "This is a magnificent vindication of the Daily Mail's journalism," a spokesperson for ANL told the BBC. "The reputations of our decent and hard-working journalists were terribly impugned, and today they have been exonerated." - New Musical Express/Billboard, 7/7/26...... 
Ozzy Osbourne's widow Sharon Osbourne has marked her first wedding anniversary without Ozzy with a tribute to her late husband on Instagram on July 4. Alongside a close-up photo of the couple holding hands, Sharon wrote: "Today would have been our 46th wedding anniversary. Instead, it is a celebration of a love that even death could not diminish. I miss your hand in mine, but I carry your love with me every step of the way. Forever my husband. Forever my heart." Ozzy died on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76, following a public battle with Parkinson's disease. His passing came just 17 days after he headlined a massive farewell concert, "Back to the Beginning," at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham alongside Black Sabbath. The couple married in Hawaii on July 4, 1982, and remained together -- through well-documented highs and lows, including a brief separation in 2016 -- for 43 years until his death. They renewed their vows in 2017, raising children Aimee, Kelly and Jack Osbourne. In other Ozzy-related news, Black Sabbath have announced plans to release their first ever official book, The Masters of Reality - Why Black Sabbath Matter. The book will document the iconic metal band's history from their formation in Birmingham in the late 1960s to their epic final "Back To The Beginning" show in July 2025. Created by photographer Ross Halfin, a long-time friend of the band, it will also feature a huge wealth of rare photographs and memorabilia, in the huge 500 page volume. It will be published in three separate editions including a "Super Deluxe Signed Metal Edition," which is printed on silk art paper, in October, via Rufus Publications. "Ozzy and Sharon wanted the book out soon after the final show in Birmingham but Ozzy suddenly passing away caused the music world to stop," said Halfin. "Ozzy was fully involved with the book and he signed the book plates months before the final show, as did all the band members. So now, we all thought the time was right, one year after 'Back To The Beginning', to announce the project. A book we all feel celebrates both Black Sabbath and Ozzy and illustrates just how important they are. I hope fans enjoy it." The book's covers can be viewed on Instagram. - Billboard/NME, 7/5/26...... Earlier in 2026, Def Leppard recorded their forthcoming album in the basement of a casino on days off during their Las Vegas residency. The band performed Def Leppard: Live at Caesars Palace at the casino's Colosseum venue throughout February and frontman Joe Elliott has now revealed they kept busy throughout the run by setting up a makeshift studio space where they could work on tracks for their next record. "We did a Vegas residency in February, and we wanted to play a new song, so it made sense to actually put it out," Elliott said. He went on to reveal they are still working on their new music after starting the recording process off in Las Vegas, adding: "The album won't be out until early '27, 'cause we're still recording it. We were actually recording parts of it in Vegas on days off. We would go down into the basement of the casino and set it up as a studio, and we would record. So we're still actively recording now and mixing." Elliott added the band have around 18 songs for the new project, which he described as "a very eclectic collection of tunes." "We're working on it actively," he added. "We're touring this summer, and we'll be working on the album up to going on tour and then when we come off. So we need to get it finished by the end of the summer for an early release next year." - Music-News.com, 7/7/26...... Herb Alpert revived his '60s band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass for a show at the iconic Hollywood Bowl on July 5, returning to pack the storied venue for the first time in 59 years. Although the "Rise" performer hadn't shown much interest in reviving The Tijuana Brass as a concept for an entire tour, family members and business partners convinced him that if he built this more purposefully nostalgic a show, fans would come. The prophecy came true last fall, when Alpert and the Brass sold out all shows on a theater tour that climaxed in November in a buzzy pair of appearances down the street at the Dolby Theatre. His July 5 show began with a surprise introduction, a crowd-pleasing appearance that went on so long, it pretty much counted as an opening act: a laudatory speech by fellow pop legend and one-time Alpert protege Paul Williams. "There's nothing to worry about, but Herb left his horn at home," joked Williams. Alpert and company took the stage, inevitably, with "The Lonely Bull," the top 10 hit that started everything for the artist and the newly minted A&M label in 1962, followed by 22 hits and deeper cuts whose titles were meant to reinforce the Latin flavor he was bringing to the charts: "Memories of Madrid," "Spanish Flea," "Bittersweet Samba," "Mexican Shuffle," and "Tijuana Taxi." Alpert and the Tijuana Brass have 17 additional dates lined up across North America before the tour wraps on Oct. 23 at Chan Centre in Vancouver, B.C. - Variety, 7/6/26...... 
Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Brian Potter, best known for co-producing Glen Campbell's 1975 Rhinestone Cowboy album, died June 30 in Granada Hills, Calif. He was 87. Mr. Potter, who was born in Essex, England, played in bands as a teen and even toured across the U.K. and Europe briefly as the drummer for Chuck Berry, scored his first hit in 1965 as a songwriter on the Small Faces' debut single "Whatcha Gonna Do About It," written with Ian Samwell. The song reached No. 14 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Potter met Dennis Lambert, a singer/songwriter in the U.S. Army stationed in Europe, and the pair became songwriting partners, leading to Potter moving to the U.S. Together, the pair landed numerous hits starting with 1969's anti-war song "One Tin Soldier," which was first recorded by The Original Caste. A 1971 version by Coven became the theme to the movie Billy Jack, and Skeeter Davis' rendition received a Grammy nomination for best female country vocal performance. Several hits penned by the Potter/Lambert team followed, including writing and producing a number of albums for The Four Tops following the R&B group's departure from Motown, that included such hits as "Keeper of the Castle" and "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)," from the Lambert/Potter-produced album 1972's Keeper of the Castle. The pair landed their own imprint, Haven Records, at Capitol Records, and in the mid-'70s began working with Campbell on the 1975 Rhinestone Cowboy concept album about an aging country musician. The title track, written by Larry Weiss, earned Potter and his collaborators (also including Bari Weiss a Grammy nomination for producer of the year, and won him an Academy of Country Music Award as well as American Music Award. Other 1970s' Billboard Hot 100 hits penned by the duo included Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds' "Don't Pull Your Love" (No. 4), The Grass Roots' "Two Divided By Love" (No. 16), The Righteous Brothers' "Dream On" (No. 32), and Tavares' "It Only Takes a Minute" (No. 10). As producers, they also continued to score hits, including Player's No. 1 tune, "Baby Come Back." In 2025, Lambert and Potter were nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in the non-performing songwriters category. According to his daughter, Mr. Potter passed away following years living with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Karen; daughter Courtney and stepdaughter Mary Shirley; two brothers; and a number of other relatives. - Billboard, 7/8/26.
As rumored, Stevie Nicks was among the performers during the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 3. Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, who attended the wedding with her GMA colleagues, confirmed Nicks' performance the following morning on GMA. Swift also took part in a soundcheck with Nicks at Madison Square Garden earlier Friday, according to The New York Times. It was unclear which songs Nicks performed during the ceremony or whether Swift joined the iconic singer onstage. Swift and Nicks have shared a close friendship for years, performing together at the 2010 Grammy Awards, and Nicks later contributed a poem titled "For T-- and me" to Swift's The Tortured Poets Department album. Swift also referenced Nicks on "Clara Bow," the closing track on the standard edition of her 2024 album. Meanwhile, Dolly Parton is expressing her gratitude to Swift and Kelce for the couple's generous pre-wedding donation of $2 million to Parton's Imagination Library, a literacy program that provides free books to children. The couple donated a total of $26 million to charities across the U.S., including the Grammy Museum Foundation, New York Cares, Harvesters in Kansas City, and Parton's Imagination Library. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude," Parton said in part in an Instagram post. "So, hey, when you have your first born, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby!," she added. - Billboard, 7/4/26...... 
Elton John has reportedly landed a hologram residency in Las Vegas with "more advanced" technology than the ABBA-themed project ABBA Voyage. John, 79, stepped away from touring in 2023 but is now believed to have landed a mega-money deal for the show at the brand-new Hard Rock Hotel opening in Las Vegas in 2027. Not only will it feature the "Tiny Dancer" hitmaker in hologram form, but avatars of his past collaborators Dua Lipa and Kiki Dee will duet with Sir Elton. "It's similar to the ABBA Voyage show in London, but far more advanced as the technology has come on so much," a source told the U.K. paper The Sun's "Bizarre" column. "It's going to look phenomenal." Despite scaling back his live performances, Elton shows no signs of slowing down completely. The rock superstar recently revealed he quietly completed a brand-new album -- and it only exists because his eyesight troubles forced him to rebuild his entire creative process from scratch. While accepting the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize at the Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto in May, he explained that his eye condition made his usual lyric-first method impossible. "I've had eye trouble recently and I always make records by looking at lyrics and writing to lyrics, and so I'm kind of f----- at the moment," he told the audience. - Music-News.com, 7/1/26...... Rush have teamed up with Fantoons -- the L.A.-based animation studio that has created Rush-themed puzzles, mugs, cereal boxes and bass pickguards over the past decade -- for a special-edition T-shirt benefiting the victims of the devastating earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24. The two massive magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes which struck less than a minute apart, have claimed more than 2,200 lives and left 11,000 injured, with thousands of citizens still unaccounted for. "In the rawest hour, asking for help, the band answered the way they always have: without hesitation, with open hands and open hearts, collaborating on this one-of-a-kind shirt that will change lives," Venezuelan Fantoons director David Calcano said in an Instagram statement. All profits from the colorful, limited-edition shirt featuring the group's iconic Starman logo will go to Hogar Bambi, an organization that has provided shelter for Venezuela's orphaned and abandoned children for more than three decades. The charity is now working to provide food, medicine and shelter for the youngest victims of the disaster. The T-shirt news comes after Rush was forced to postpone two Texas shows on June 30 and July 2 at Dixies Arena in Fort Worth due to singer/bassist Geddy Lee's health. "We are deeply sorry to share that we must postpone our June 30 and July 2 shows," the band posted on Facebook. "Geddy has been diagnosed with laryngitis and bronchitis. After being evaluated by his doctors, he has been advised that he needs additional time to rest and recover before returning to the stage," it added. As a result, the show originally scheduled for June 30 has been pushed back to July 11, while the July 2 gig will now take place on July 13, with tickets for both shows to be honored on the new dates; fans who cannot attend the rescheduled shows can get refunds at point of purchase. Following next week's rescheduled Fort Worth shows, the group is slated to move on to a four-night stand at the United Center in Chicago on July 16, 18, 20 and 22. The reunion tour is currently scheduled to wrap up with an April 10, 2027 gig in Helsinki, Finland. - Billboard, 7/2/26...... 
David Bowie's archive at London's V&A East Storehouse is set to go on tour across the UK. The David Bowie Centre opened at the new working store and visitor attraction at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford last autumn. It comprises over 90,000 of the late star's possessions, as well as curated exhibitions of objects by Bowie collaborator Nile Rodgers and super-fans The Last Dinner Party. On July 1, organizers announced that a new national tour will bring highlights from the V&A's Bowie archive to venues across the UK over multiple years. More than 100 pieces from the collection are to go on show in Dundee, Blackpool, Hull, County Durham, Bristol and beyond for "David Bowie: On Tour," The trek will give fans the only opportunity to see such a range of items from the icon's personal archive up close, outside of London's V&A East Storehouse. Visitors can expect a "rare glimpse into David Bowie's creative process and how he shaped his iconic image, music, video, TV and film work", per a press release. Highlights include Bowie's legendary costumes, musical instruments, career-spanning photography, and some never-before-seen items such as Polaroids for make-up and costume fittings. Next up, the archive will head to Showtown in Blackpool (June to Sept. 2027), the Bowes Museum in County Durham (Oct. 2027 to Jan. 2028), the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull (Feb. to May 2028), and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery (June to Sept. 2028). Further venues are to be announced in due course, according to organisers. - New Musical Express, 7/1/26...... Bob Dylan guitarist Bob Britt has spoken out about his recent departure from Dylan's live backing band. Over the last weekend in June, Britt was reported to have left the touring line-up after he shared a brief social media post that was later deleted. He had played with Dylan since 2019, and been a regular fixture during the "Rough And Rowdy Ways" tour. Britt has now shared an update on the situation via Facebook, confirming that he was "not fired" by Dylan. "Apparently there are quite a few threads out there with people speculating about my departure from the Bob tour. I'd like to clear it up," he began. "I was not fired but left of my own accord for reasons I would prefer to keep private. I will miss my band mates and crew." Britt continued, saying he was "looking forward to getting back to doing sessions (give me a call)". He then hinted that a return to live performing could be on the cards at some point, adding: "As far as any touring goes, we will see what the future holds." Dylan has since enlisted Chicago-based jazz and blues musician Joel Paterson as his sole guitarist, after Britt's original replacement, acclaimed jazz guitarist Julian Lage, is said to have stepped back due to scheduling conflicts. Paterson played his first show with Dylan and co. in Austin, Tex. on June 29. Dylan's current trek is set to wrap in Nashville on Aug. 1. - NME, 7/1/26...... Jermaine Jackson is getting another chance at defending himself against claims that he raped a session musician coordinator in 1988. The Jackson 5 member, who has also had a prolific solo career with hits like "Daddy's Home", "Let's Get Serious" and "Do What You Do," was sued for sexual assault and battery in 2023. Jackson did not respond to the claims for more than two years, leading a Los Angeles judge to award a $6.5 million default judgment to accuser Rita Butler Barrett in June. It was at this point that Jackson finally appeared in court, flatly denying the rape allegations and saying he was unaware of the case until reading media reports about the default judgment. Jermaine, who lives in Bahrain, argued that he did not receive legal papers served at his mother's Encino home or via notices in the Los Angeles Times. He also noted that he changed his name to "Jermaine Jacksun" in 2013, meaning he was sued under the wrong legal name. Judge Elaine W. Mandel credited these arguments in her June 30 order, which wiped the $6.5 million judgment and restarted the litigation process. Jackson will now get another opportunity to file legal papers responding to Barrett's lawsuit, which alleges he showed up at her Los Angeles-area home unannounced in the spring of 1988, forced his way through the door and violently raped her. A music contractor who worked with Jackson in the late 1980s, Barrett brought the case under a one-year legislative window that lifted the statute of limitations for certain sexual assault claims. "Jermaine is adamant that he did not rape the plaintiff," said his lawyer, Bret Lewis, in a statement to Billboard. "I would add that the alleged conduct is not characteristic of the Jermaine Jackson/sun that I have known for years as his long-time attorney. We intend to vigorously defend these allegations." In other Jackson family news, Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Human Nature," "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," "Thriller," "Bad" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" are currently dominating Billboard's Top Movie Songs chart for May 2026 on the heels of the release of the MJ biopic Michael in late April. After "Billie Jean" bowed at No. 3 on the April 2026 Top Movie Songs survey, the 1983 tune rules May's list on the strength of 84.2 million official streams and 8,000 downloads sold in the U.S. that month, according to Luminate. Those metrics drove the song, which reigned for seven weeks on the Hot 100 in its time, back onto the weekly chart, rising as high as No. 15 on the May 23 ranking. - Billboard, 6/30/26...... 
Bruce Springsteen was among the music dignitaries to speak at Clive Davis' funeral on the morning of June 29 at Central Synagogue in New York City. Springsteen shared fond memories of his early days finding his footing in the music industry and how Davis' tutelage shepherded him to stardom. (Springsteen signed to Columbia Records in 1972, where Davis served as president, when he was just 22 years old, and the two have remained close friends for over half a century.) He recalled turning in his Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. debut album, but Davis kicked it back to the rocker after listening and implored him to record songs that could have radio appeal. That same night, Springsteen recalled, he wrote "Blinded by the Light" and "Spirit in the Night," both of which went on to be singles from his debut and catalog-defining tracks. "Two songs that totally changed the profile and perception of that album," he said. "Clive then filmed himself reciting the lyrics to 'Blinded by the Light' like it was some New Jersey Shakespeare." "Clive was big and bombastic and brave and full of ideas and just believed, believed, believed. He dressed like a king. He was born to run everything," the rocker playfully continued. He added that Davis never missed a New York performance of his for the rest of his career, even attending his tour stop in Newark, N.J., earlier this year, which saw Davis standing up for the entire show. Clive Davis passed away at 94 on June 22 while surrounded by family at his New York home. A private burial followed on June 29. Springsteen concluded his remembrance: "Nothing but love, Clive, thank you." - Billboard, 6/29/26...... Lionel Richie returned to the stage in Pittsburgh on June 30 a week after postponing dates on his co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire due to an unexplained illness. On June 24, Richie cut short his June 24 show in St. Paul, Minn., due to what was described at the time as an unexpected dizzy spell on the opening night. "I had you worried there for a minute, huh?" he joked during the show. "You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing." While Richie has not made a statement about his condition or diagnosis, after doctor-ordered rest, the 77-year-old singer appeared to be in fine form in fan-posted footage of him performing his 1984 No. 3 hit "Stuck On You" and his 1977 Commodores No. 4 hit "Easy." Richie's 26-date joint tour with the "Shining Star" hitmakers -- their third batch of shows together after earlier runs in 2023 and 2024 -- is slated to run through an Aug. 14 stop in Austin, Tex. - Billboard, 7/1/26...... The B-52's set at Frances's Retro C Trop music festival on June 27 was cancelled just minutes before a violent storm hit the area. "We are so sorry to everyone who came out to Chateau de Tilloloy yesterday," the band shared in a Facebook post after their slot on June 27 got cancelled. "The storm made it impossible to continue, and the safety of our fans and everyone on site had to come first," they continued. "A huge thank you to our touring crew for their work and care in keeping everyone as safe as possible throughout an incredibly dangerous situation. We hope everyone got home safely." The band also hit out at promoter who they claimed knew that a "dangerous storm was brewing." The festival, which described the storm as a tornado, later announced that they would be cancelling its final day the next day following the evacuation from the night prior. B-52's frontman Fred Schneider detailed the effect the chaotic weather had on the day in a lengthy post on his personal Facebook account, describing it as a "total disaster." "We felt terrible for the fans that have waited in the heat all day for us to perform. And then get very little warning to no warning from the promoter that it wasn't safe to stay out and make our way to the stage, there was lightning striking the band before our set," he posted. - NME, 6/29/26...... Authorities in the U.K. have charged disgraced British glam rock star Gary Glitter with additional counts of child sexual abuse in the country. Glitter, 82, (real name Paul Gadd) has repeatedly been convicted of pedophilia and is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in England for sexually abusing three young girls in the 1970s. On July 2, London's Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service accused him of abusing a fourth girl under the age of 13 during that same period at a home in Kensington. "This follows allegations made by a woman relating to a period of alleged abuse that took place between 1978 and 1981," said lead prosecutor Bethan David in a public announcement. "Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to do so." Glitter is charged in this new case with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and three counts of indecent assault. Police say the victim reported the alleged crimes in Jan. 2025 and that Glitter was interviewed as part of their lengthy investigation before charges were filed. Glitter, currently incarcerated at Channings Wood Prison in Devon, England, has been ordered to appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court to address the charges on Aug. 5. - Billboard, 7/2/26...... 
Victor Willis, the longtime lead singer and frontman of costumed disco group the Village People and cowriter of such indelible dance anthems as "Y.M.C.A." and "Macho Man," died on June 30 following a brief illness, according to a post on the group's Facebook page. He was 74. "We are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People," the post reads. "Victor passed on Tuesday June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested." Willis' wife, Karen-Huff Willis, posted a similar message on her husband's FB page. Willis, who performed as both a police officer and naval officer in the group whose members were known for their colorful stage attire and fit physiques, was born on July 1, 1951, in Dallas, Tex., growing up in San Francisco's notoriously funky Haight-Ashbury district and singing gospel in his Baptist minister father's church as a young man before pivoting to soul music with his high school band. He used his acting and dance training at Antioch College to transition to musicals after a move to New York, where he joined the Negro Ensemble Company and appeared in the original Broadway production of "The Wiz" in 1976. His life changed in 1977 when French music producer Jacques Morali and his Can't Stop Productions partner Henri Belolo put out a call for background singers to lend a hand on an album by their group the Ritchie Family. Arranger/conductor Horace Ott suggested Willis, who was then tapped by the Can't Stop team to front a new kind of group they were putting together. Taking inspiration for the name from Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood, the producers quickly pulled together a backing band to make an appearance with Willis on American Bandstand. After the original lineup -- pretend cop Willis, Felipe Rose (American Indian), Alex Briley (soldier), Lee Mouton (biker), Mark Mussler (construction worker), David Forrest (cowboy) and brief, early non-costumed member Peter Whitehead -- made a splash on the show, the producers posted a recruitment ad that read "macho types wanted: must dance and have a mustache." They also leaned into what became the group's signature gimmick: job-related costumes for each man, with the original lineup shuffled to include Glenn Hughes (leather daddy), David Hodo (construction worker) and Randy Jones (cowboy). 
Formed at the peak of the disco revolution, the gay-coded group quickly became dance floor icons thanks to such booming anthems as the Willis cowritten "Macho Man" from their 1978 album of the same name, which peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Leaning further into the are-they-or-aren't-they nature of the group, the title of the band's third album, 1978's Cruisin', was either an homage to hopping in the car for a drive or a not-at-all-subtle reference to the gay slang term for searching around for casual sex. That album spawned yet another huge hit with "Y.M.C.A.," another Willis cowrite that hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 in early 1979 before going on to be one of the group's most successful and beloved singles. The Grammy Hall of Fame track with its signature hand jive motions has since become a staple at parties and sporting events, as well as being one of Pres. Donald Trump's favorite songs, one he frequently gyrates to during public appearances. Willis, who was straight, steadfastly denied that he wrote "Y.M.C.A." to be a "gay anthem," despite the double-entendre lyrics that appeared to suggest otherwise. "Young man, there's a place you can go, I said/ Young man, when you're short on your dough/ You can stay there and I'm sure you will find/ Many ways to have a good time," he sings on the tune. Willis left the group in 1979 amid the production for their disastrous movie musical Can't Stop the Music, and was replaced by the band's former tour backup singer, Ray Simpson. With disco's popularity at a nadir amid the rise of new wave, the group's 1981 album, Renaissance, which had them adopting the makeup and new romantic look of the day, was a flop. Willis briefly came back into the fold for 1981's equally unimpressive eighth album, Fox on the Box, which was later released in the U.S. in 1983 as In the Street. By 1983, Willis took leave again as the band underwent another in a rolling series of lineup changes and he began a decades long battle over copyright issues. After leaving the group, Willis would not perform Village People songs and did not record new music, though a 1979 solo album, Solo Man, was finally released in Aug. 2015. Willis, who entered the Betty Ford Clinic in 2007 following years of substance abuse, rejoined the group yet again in 2017 after a 2015 out-of-court settlement that gave him 50% ownership of some of the group's biggest hits. He appeared on the 2018 Christmas album, A Village People Christmas and performed with them at several events tied to Trump's second inauguration in Jan. 2025. - Billboard, 7/1/26.
The huge personal record collection of Tom Verlaine, the late frontman of the acclaimed '70s punk band Television, has gone on sale. Verlaine passed away in Jan. 2023 at the age of 73, and now his extensive archive of 4,000 vinyl records is being made available to the public, offering fans a glimpse into the music taste of the trailblazing New York band. The collection spans jazz, avant-garde, garage rock, psychedelia and experimental, and includes Verlaine's personal copies of Television's debut single "Little Johnny Jewel" and their landmark 1977 debut album 
The estate of late Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Leonard Cohen has decried the use of the singer-songwriter's classic track "Hallelujah" during Pres. Donald Trump's rally kicking off the "Great American State Fair" in Washington, D.C. on June 24 celebrating the U.S.'s 250th anniversary. During the event, Long Island opera singer Christopher Macchio joined forces with the Marine Band's Master Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Bennear to perform the oft-covered 1984 song. Ahead of the rally, Cohen's estate posted its objection to the planned use of song, which was still used at the rally. "The Leonard Cohen Estate has learned that the song 'Hallelujah' is to be performed at a Donald Trump rally on June 24," a statement posted to Cohen's 
As tension builds for the rumoured anxiously-awaited imminent marriage of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in early July, Stevie Nicks is said to be among the performers during the ceremony for the worldwide pop superstar and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. Swift was also recently spotted celebrating the New York Knicks' recent victory with the HAIM sisters, notably while wearing a shirt that read "Stevie Nicks," which many have taken as an Easter egg about her upcoming nuptials. Now, reports from Page Six and Rolling Stone have seen multiple sources claim that not only will Nicks be in attendance, but will be performing at the ceremony. The pair's friendship is well-documented, with Swift saying she was "very lucky to have the guidance of Nicks last year." The two also went on a celebratory night in Dublin after Swift wrapped a three-show run in the city on her "Eras Tour" trek in 2024, and, the same night that they were pictured at the Hacienda bar, Nicks was seen looking visibly emotional at Swift's concert after she performed the Midnights track "You're On Your Own, Kid." The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman previously thanked the singer-songwriter for penning the song, because it captured how she felt about losing her bandmate Christine McVie. Wedding plans have so far been shrouded in secrecy, but further details emerged this week with a New York Times report that revealed a permit had been filed with New York City to close the streets around Madison Square Garden for an event on July 3, which points further towards the city's arena as the chosen venue. The Times additionally reported that festivities will kick off on July 2 with "an intimate gathering of about 100 people followed by a larger event that will include "about 1,000 guests the next day." Before those reports appeared to confirm the date, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared to have let it slip that the ceremony would be held in the city in early July. - NME, 6/28/26...... Billy Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens were inducted into the Hollywood Rockwalk on June 23 during a ceremony at Guitar Center's flagship Hollywood location on Sunset Boulevard. The ceremony was hosted by legendary radio personality Richard Blade, and Idol and Stevens commemorated the occasion with a handprint ceremony outside the store. They joined more than 150 artists and innovators who have been honored by the Rockwalk since its founding in 1985, including the likes of Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Idol, who began his career in the late '70s as a member of Generation X, received a lifetime achievement award at the American Music Awards on May 25, where he and Stevens performed three of his biggest hits, "White Wedding," "Eyes Without a Face" and "Dancing With Myself." On Nov. 14, Idol and Stevens will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony to be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. - Billboard, 6/24/26...... 
Daryl Hall posted a statement on Instagram on June 23 saying he's "already feeling better" after he underwent a kidney transplant. The Hall & Oates co-founder announced that he had received the kidney from a "living donor." "Hi everybody!" he began. "I thought you should know that I recently received a kidney transplant from a very kind and generous living donor. It happened a couple of weeks ago, and I'm already starting to feel better. It was, according to my doctors, a complete success!" He went on to note that he should be "back to normal" in a few months. "So get ready for more music and lots of Daryl's House shows. You all take care!" the 79-year-old added. Back in 2005, Hall was forced to postpone a string of Hall & Oates shows as he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Though Hall & Oates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, Hall and John Oates announced in 2023 that they would no longer perform together due to a legal battle over their publishing rights. The dispute was resolved in August 2025. Hall released his sixth solo album, D, in June 2024. Most recently, he has hosted Live from Daryl's House, an online music series in which the singer-songwriter performs with his band and various guests at his home in Millerton, N.Y. - Music-News.com, 6/24/26...... Rising Scottish singer-songwriter Callum Beattie has joined the line-up for "Bowie: Live On The Loch," the upcoming charity celebration of David Bowie's life and legacy. The event is taking place at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond on Nov. 7 and 8, in aid of Save The Children, and it will mark the 10th anniversary of Bowie's death. The band that backed Bowie during his legendary Glastonbury 2000 headline set -- guitarist Earl Slick, keyboardist Mike Garson, bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, multi-instrumentalist Mark Plati and drummer Sterling Campbell -- are reuniting for a one-off live performance over the weekend. Reflecting on joining the line-up, Beattie said: "Being asked to play with this band is one of the greatest honours of my life. If it wasn't for Bowie, there's no way I'd be a singer or a songwriter." "My dad had a 'magic cupboard' that was filled with vinyl and Bowie was at the forefront of that," he added. "It's an incredible privilege to share the stage with such legends. I just hope I can do the songs justice." - NME, 6/28/26...... Actress Ann Blyth, who drew a 1946 Oscar nomination for her memorable performance as the spoiled, selfish daughter of Joan Crawford's hard-working, devoted title character in the classic film Mildred Pierce, died on June 24 at age 98. The dark beauty was also noted for her roles in prison drama Brute Force (1947), the Mario Lanza vehicle The Great Caruso (1951) and 1957's The Helen Morgan Story with Paul Newman. Ms. Blyth made her single Broadway appearance in the original production of Lillian Hellman's WWII drama "Watch on the Rhine" in 1941-42. She toured with the show in Los Angeles, where she was noticed and given a screen test at Universal. The Mount Kisco, N.Y., native and devout Catholic focused on family after her film career essentially ended in 1957 as well as musical theater, appearing in "The Sound of Music," "The King and I," "Carnival," "Bittersweet," South Pacific," "Show Boat" and "A Little Night Music." She made several appearances on the TV Western Wagon Train in the early 1960s and starred in the "Queen of the Nile" episode of The Twilight Zone in 1964. Later she appeared a couple of times on Quincy, M.E. before her final television appearance on Murder, She Wrote in 1985. - Variety.com, 6/26/26...... 
David Clayton-Thomas, the Blood, Sweat & Tears lead singer and songwriter behind such hits as "Spinning Wheel, "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die," died on June 24 at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He was 84. No cause of death was provided, but the rep said the musician died peacefully and that a memorial benefit concert will soon be held in his honor supporting Peacebuilders Canada, an organization that promotes restorative justice for youth, which he championed for years up until he died. Born in Surrey, England on Sept. 13, 1941, Mr. Clayton-Thomas started out as a soloist who first earned major recognition in Canada for anti-war song "Brainwashed" in 1966. He joined Blood, Sweat & Tears a couple of years later following the departure of former bandleader Al Kooper, and the group entered a period of immense popularity. The group's first album, Child Is Father to the Man, was not a huge hit (only climbing to No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart in June 1968), but it was highly-regarded, receiving a Grammy nomination and voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. BS&T's next two albums, Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969) and 
During a concert in West Valley City, Utah on June 19, Rod Stewart was forced to pause after nearly fainting onstage and requiring an oxygen tank. Stewart, 81, appeared visibly unwell and was seen doubling over in discomfort before using an oxygen tank to assist with his breathing, according to TMZ.com. After struggling to finish his hit "Young Turks," Stewart appeared less mobile than usual and leaned against stage equipment before members of his team brought out an oxygen tank, as seen in video footage published by TMZ. The "Maggie May" singer later told the crowd that he had nearly fainted but insisted that the "show must go on." He then jokingly asked, "Would you mind if I sat down for this one?" before continuing the performance and finishing the show seated in a chair. TMZ noted that West Valley City sits at approximately 4,300 feet above sea level, which may have contributed to the incident. In late May, Stewart suggested that his current "One Last Time" farewell tour could mark the end of his large-scale touring career. "I've got 40-odd shows this year and that's not really a lot," Stewart said during a football chat show in the U.K. And I'm touring the U.K. next year and doing the O2 and that will probably be it, I think. I'll have to do something new... come on your show more often." He added that after his remaining dates this year and a planned U.K. run in 2027, he may step away from major touring commitments. Stewart currently has numerous U.S. dates scheduled throughout July and August as part of his "One Last Time" tour. The trek is set to conclude with a show in St. Louis on Aug. 15, then he'll head to Las Vegas for a handful of residency dates. - Billboard, 6/21/26...... Actor Paul Avery and his wife Sheila Avery died in a house fire in their Blairstown, N.J., home early on June 16. Firefighters responded to their home, approximately 80 kilometres west of Newark, and found the couple in critical condition, New Jersey State Police told the Ridgeview Echo, a local news organization founded by the late actor. Upon the troopers' arrival, the residence was fully engulfed in flames," police said in a statement Friday. "Two individuals were in the residence at the time of the fire, and both succumbed to their injuries. The fire remains under investigation, and no additional information is available." They were both treated with CPR, but died shortly after being rescued, police said. The blaze was declared under control around 1 a.m. shortly after firefighters entered the home. The cause is still under investigation. Mr. Avery, 81, began his acting career in the 1970s, playing a TV cameraman in Superman: The Movie in 1978 and Hughie the bartender on All My Children. He remained in the recurring role for a dozen years before his exit from the soap opera. He also made appearances in Tales from the Darkside, Three's Company and Soap. In addition to acting and writing, the former journalist was also a member of the United States National Guard and spent a year serving as a helicopter crew chief in the Vietnam War. - Canoe.com, 6/19/26...... 
The Jackson 5 members Marlon and Jackie Jackson announced on Instagram on June 22 they are reuniting for a string of U.K. shows later in 2026. The siblings are co-founders of the beloved Motown group -- which also starred their late brother Michael Jackson until 1984 -- and will be taking to the road in "Jackson 5 Live In Concert" for four concerts, kicking off on Nov. 6 in Manchester. Following the performance at the O2 Apollo, the pair will move on to Cardiff's Utilita Arena on Nov. 8, before heading to the Wolverhampton Civic on Nov. 11. The tour will wrap at London's Eventim Apollo on Nov. 13. Marlon and Jackie will be supported on the concerts by London disco band Heatwave, most famous for tracks such as 
Clive Davis, the legendary music exec who guided the careers of such stars as Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston and Alicia Keys, died on June 22 at his home in New York from age-related illness. He was 94. Mr. Davis rose to prominence while serving as president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1973, before founding his own label, Arista, where he signed Manilow and stars including Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith and Dionne Warwick, among many others. In 2000, he founded J Records, which was responsible for launching acts including Keys and Maroon 5 to superstardom. Known as "The Man With the Golden Ears," Mr. Davis became an industry icon for helping shape the popular sound of genres including pop, rock, R&B and hip-hop during a career that spanned more than 60 years. In the process, he signed, mentored and/or worked closely with such legendary artists as Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Alan Jackson, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, Usher, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly and the Family Stone, Rod Stewart and Jennifer Hudson. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and received a Trustees Award from the Recording Academy in 2000. Born in Brooklyn on Apr. 4, 1932, Mr. Davis attended New York University, from which he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in political science. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1956, he began his music business career in the legal department of Columbia Records at age 28. In 1967, he rose to president of Columbia's parent company CBS Records, where he signed Janis Joplin and her band Big Brother and the Holding Company after seeing them perform at the Monterey International Pop Festival. While at CBS, Davis demonstrated a knack for signing other future stars, including Santana, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. Fired from CBS Records in 1973 after being accused of misappropriating company funds, which he denied, Mr. Davis formed his own label, Arista Records, where he worked with artists as diverse as Manilow and Patti Smith. Manilow had Arista's first No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, 
The Clash bassist Paul Simonon's smashed bass guitar will go on display at a new branch of the London Museum at Smithfield Market on Nov. 28. Simonon's Fender Precision bass was damaged by the musician during a concert at The Palladium in New York City on Sept. 20, 1979, and photographed by legendary rock photog Pennie Smith. According to Simonon, he became frustrated at the venue bouncers who were not allowing the audience to stand for the show. "That frustrated me to the point that I destroyed this bass guitar," he explained in a 2011 interview with Fender. "Unfortunately you always sort of tend to destroy the things you love." The bass went on to feature on one of the genre's 
A series of events has been organized to celebrate what would have been the 80th birthday of Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett this fall. Barrett -- who passed away in July 2006, aged 60 -- will be celebrated through a spectacular live concert in the UK at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Oct. 10, when Kula Shaker will headline the event, supported by the likes of Soft Machine, Men on the Border, Radhika and the Pink Floyd tribute band Punk Floyd. "Eighty years after his birth, Syd Barrett's influence remains as powerful as ever," said event co-organizer Neil Jones. "His music, creativity and unique vision continue to inspire artists and audiences across generations. It's especially fitting that this celebration takes place in Cambridge, the city at the heart of his story. Bringing together live music, art and a new album on World Mental Health Day is a fitting tribute to one of the city's most extraordinary cultural figures," he added. The anniversary will also be marked with the release of a new tribute album on Oct. 9, called Clowns and Jugglers, celebrating Barrett's creative legacy and his enduring influence in the music business. It will feature brand-new studio recordings, previously unreleased material and standout live performances, alongside new interpretations of some of Syd and Pink Floyd's most iconic songs, while the album sleeve also features one of his most iconic images, created by Mark Wilkinson. A major exhibition exploring Barrett's life, art and cultural impact will also run from Oct. 3-9 at Cambridge Openspace arts venue and will showcase original paintings and sketches by Barrett, alongside prints of larger works. All proceeds will be donated to mental health charities. Barrett grew up in Cambridge and adopted the nickname "Syd" in his teens. He was the principal songwriter and driving creative force in the early days of Pink Floyd. But just when the band's career was taking off, Barrett's drug use and mental health issues resulted in increasingly erratic behaviour. It led to his departure from the band and his eventual return to Cambridge, where he lived a quiet life and was happiest when painting. He died in 2006. - Music-News.com/NME, 6/18/26...... The 1975 cult classic 
The Who frontman Roger Daltrey was presented with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at a ceremony in London on June 18. The accolade is reserved for music creators who have made pioneering contributions to the industry, placing Daltrey in the company of previous recipients such as Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. Knighted for his services to music and charity, Daltrey was celebrated for a career spanning electrifying rock operas like Tommy and decades of tireless philanthropic curation for the Teenage Cancer Trust. "Roger's cultural impact is legendary," stated ASCAP Chairman and President Paul Williams. "His extraordinary music career has been defined by his unstoppable energy, passion, authenticity and a voice that has shaped the sound of rock and roll." The invite-only event recognized the British creative minds behind some of the year's biggest global hits in music, film, and television, and during the evening acclaimed actor Idris Elba was presented with the ASCAP Creative Voice Award, an honor celebrating members whose career achievements seamlessly blend creative spirit with community advocacy. - Music-News.com, 6/18/26...... Rod Stewart is in hot water with some fans after attending a World Cup game just hours after abruptly cancelling a concert. On June 13, the 81-year-old rocker was spotted cheering for Scotland in the stands at a World Cup game, just hours after cancelling a concert in California due to health reasons. Just a day before, Stewart's team shared a statement to his 
Six decades after its initial release, The Kinks have officially broken the historic record for the longest gap between UK number-one singles with a rerelease of their 1966 classic, 
Saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Walter Parazaider, a co-founding member of Chicago, died on June 17 after a six-year battle with Alzheimer's. He was 81 years old. His wife, JacLynn, told TMZ.com that she was beside her beloved husband's side when he passed at 2:10 a.m. on June 17. His daughter Felicia Helen Parazaider also confirmed his death in a 
Carly Simon has revealed the first single on her upcoming first album in 20 years will be "Howl," a letter to a friend whose lover has just left them. "'Howl' lives in that space between betrayal and forgiveness, where anger has to be voiced before it can be released," the 82-year-old singer/songwriter said in a press release about the track. "It's about letting the frustration out, so it doesn't sit and simmer. The song begins in anger, but it moves toward forgiveness and speaks to any situation where trust has been broken." The lyrics include the words, "Howl like the wind/Roar like the river/Wail like the rain/Cry, shout, and shiver," before it says, "Call love a liar." Simon wrote and recorded her new album, titled Comes in Waves, at her studio in Martha's Vineyard. It contains nine new songs, plus two songs she had written previously and revisited. Her children, son Ben Taylor, and daughter, Sally Taylor, both feature on the album, and Sally produced the artwork for the album. Simon's label says the theme of Comes in Waves is "resetting oneself." The album "does not attempt to recreate the past," according to a statement, but "continues the conversation Simon has been having with her audience for decades, one grounded in truth, vulnerability, and a refusal to simplify emotion. It is a reminder of an artist still fully engaged with her craft, still asking questions, and still finding new ways to articulate what it means to live, to love, and to let go." Comes In Waves will drop on Aug. 14. - Music-News.com, 6/12/26...... Michael, the box office smash Michael Jackson biopic that premiered on Apr. 24, has surpassed the 2018 Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, crossing $911.9 million worldwide as it continues its global rollout. The Lionsgate and Universal co-production has surpassed Bohemian Rhapsody's total gross with $358.6 million at the domestic box office and $553.3 million internationally -- with Universal generating $540.5 million of the international total after acquiring foreign theatrical and ancillary rights. With the film opening in Japan on June 14, Michael is expected to push past $1 billion worldwide in 2026, joining the company of Universal's Super Mario Galaxy Movie. By comparison, Bohemian Rhapsody grossed $216.6 million domestically and $694.3 million internationally for a $910.9 million global total. Both films were produced by Graham King, meaning King has now broken his own all-time box office record for music biopics. Michael's other records include the largest global opening weekend ever for a music biopic, the highest-grossing domestic biopic of all time, and the most successful biopic ever in France, surpassing La Vie en Rose. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by John Logan and with Michael's nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role, the film was forced to undertake $50 million in reshoots after the Jackson estate identified a key issue with a plot point in the screenplay concerning one of Jackson's accusers, who was not meant to be dramatised in the film. Meanwhile, MJ child abuse accusers James Safechuck and Wade Robson have been given a new trial date for 2028. The pair, who appeared in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland where they detailed their alleged abuse by Jackson, allege that they were befriended by the singer and abused at his Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif., between the ages of 7 and 10. They also accused employees of his companies, MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, of helping enable and conceal the alleged abuse. Robson, a choreographer and director, and Safechuck, a writer, actor, and director, sued MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures for negligence, breach of duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in separate lawsuits in 2013 and 2014, respectively. After consolidating their cases in 2024, the two men and their lawyer, John Carpenter, previously wanted their case heard before the release of the recently released Michael biopic, but the case faced a series of delays and was previously set for trial in October 2027. On June 12, a judge in California agreed to set a new trial date in the sexual abuse case brought by the men. Judge Michael E. Whitaker set the new trial date for Feb. 14, 2028, but he ordered everyone back for another hearing in September to keep the case on track. The Jackson estate has adamantly and repeatedly denied that he abused either of the boys, and has emphasised that Robson testified at Jackson's 2005 criminal trial that he had not been abused, and Safechuck said the same to authorities. - Billboard/NME, 6/14/26...... On June 10 the music publishing and talent management company Primary Wave announced it has entered into a new partnership with the estate of late '70s disco icon Donna Summer. The deal will see Primary Wave work alongside Summer's estate to expand the reach of her song catalog and recordings. It also includes her name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. Through the agreement, the company will work closely with the estate on new marketing, branding digital and sync opportunities, along with film and TV projects. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to a press release, Summer, a primary force in bringing disco to the mainstream, has sold more than 100 million albums globally. Her catalog includes 17 studio albums, three of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200. That includes 1978's Bad Girls, which spent six weeks atop the tally. She also enjoyed four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, including "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," "MacArthur Park" and "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," and placed a total of 14 songs in that chart's top 10. The five-time Grammy winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025. She died in 2012 at age 63. - Billboard, 6/10/26...... 
Speaking to reporters on the red carpet after attending the 55th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony on June 11, John Fogerty said he thought "whoever that Bob Dylan guy was" would be a great fit to portray him in a planned biopic of the legendary Creedence Clearwater Revival co-founder and frontman. Fogerty, of course, was referring to the hot young actor Timothee Chalamet, who took on the role of the iconic singer-songwriter for the critically acclaimed biopic A Complete Unknown. Earning a BAFTA nod and eight Oscar nominations, the film saw Chalamet perform some of Dylan's biggest hits himself, rather than mime them. Fogerty said he was "really excited" about the biopic of his life which is currently in the works, with the script currently being written. "That's such an honou, to get a movie made about you," he said. "I'm thrilled and happy that this is finally going to come out. I think they're working on it. That's about all I can say." When asked who he'd want to play him in a film about him, Fogerty quipped, "I used to joke, 'Oh, Brad Pitt!'. Speaking to another reporter the same night, the "Centerfield" singer was asked about his dream casting, and said he'd pick: "Whoever that Bob Dylan guy was. That would be great." The musician kept details of the new film largely under wraps, but told The Hollywood Reporter he'd be content with whoever got cast. "Years ago, probably in the middle of all the dark times, I would tell people, 'Someday they're going to make a movie about me, but I'll be too old to play myself,'" he said. "It's kind of like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz singing about someday.... Whoever they find that makes it work, I'll be happy with." - NME, 6/14/26...... Speaking of Bob Dylan, the rock bard has delved into his The Basement Tapes LP once again, this time playing "I Shall Be Released" for the first time in 18 years at a recent concert. During his gig at Oregon's Cuthbert Amphitheatre on June 9, Dylan brought back the song he last played at a 2008 concert in Warsaw. He wrote the track in 1967, and he and the Band recorded it during their "Basement Tapes sessions." The Band also recorded their own version of the song without Dylan, and they used it as the closing track on their 1968 debut Music From Big Pink. It comes after he opened a previous Washington gig on June 6 with anotherBasement Tapes cut, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." The song, which he hasn't played in concert since 2012, saw him joined on vocals by his guitarists Doug Lancio and Bob Britt, a callback to the Larry Campbell and Charlie Sexton era in the late '90s to early '00s, when it was far more common for his bandmates to sing with him. - NME, 6/13/26...... Paul McCartney has paid tribute to his artist friend David Hockney, who passed away peacefully at his home in the UK on June 11 at the age of 88. The Bradford native died after a career that saw him lauded as one of the most influential and celebrated artists of the 20th century. A defining figure in British art, his works included "A Bigger Splash" and "Portrait Of An Artist (Pool With Two Figures)." One of the friends he made over the years was Beatles legend McCartney, who has shared a personal tribute to him on his 
Queen drummer Roger Taylor has announced his seventh solo album, 
In a new interview with Vulture magazine, Paul Stanley says KISS' secret weapon has always been their larger-than-life personas. The rock icon says the face paint-wearing group have spent five decades as "Batman with a guitar and Superman with a Marshall amplifier," a comparison he made while looking back at the moments that turned KISS into one of rock's most enduring acts. Stanley pointed to the release of their raucous 1975 live album 
A dystopian sci-fi movie based on the iconic 1973 Emerson, Lake & Palmer track "Karn Evil 9" is in development. The Radar Pictures-produced movie has secured a director and screenwriter, and reportedly has the cooperation of the band's management and surviving members. As reported by Variety, the film draws its name and thematic core from "Karn Evil 9," the sprawling half-hour track from the band's 1973 album,