Two longtime guitarists in Bob Dylan's live band have seemingly stepped away from the rock legend's ongoing "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour. Acoustic guitarist Bob Britt was reported to have left the band after sharing a brief post social media that was later deleted. According to screenshots circulated by Dylan fans on Reddit.com, Britt posted "Sayonara Bobby" alongside an image showing a flight route from Austin, Tex., to Nashville during a day off from the tour. In a later comment, he reportedly wrote: "I quit." Britt has played with Dylan since 2019, and has been a regular presence during during his current tour. Britt's departure follows another recent change in Dylan's band, after electric guitarist Doug Lancio was recently replaced on stage by acclaimed jazz guitarist Julian Lage. Lancio, who had been part of Dylan's touring band since 2021, was absent from Dylan's June 17 show at the Santa Barbara Bowl. A reviewer for the Los Angeles Times noted that Lage had replaced Lancio onstage, although it remains unclear whether he is filling in temporarily or joining the line-up more permanently. Dylan's current US run is due to continue on June 29) at Moody Amphitheater in Austin, Tex., before wrapping in Nashville on Aug. 1. Dylan has dusted off several rarely performed live cuts lately on the tour, including "I Shall Be Released" and "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." - New Musical Express, 6/28/26...... 
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 Marquee Moon, alongside records by The 13th Floor Elevators, Nico, Albert Ayler, The Sonics, Love and Slint. The first batch of records became available through Discogs.com on June 26, with further titles set to be sold in person at Academy Records' Banker Street location in Brooklyn on July 10 and 11. Any remaining records will then return to Discogs on July 31. Purchases made through Discogs will include a certificate of authenticity confirming that the record came from Verlaine's personal collection. The collection can be checked out on Discogs.com. Television were one of the defining bands of the 1970s New York punk scene, emerging from CBGB alongside the likes of Smith, Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads. Their debut album Marquee Moon is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitar records of the era. Television released just one more album during their original run, 1978's Adventure, before splitting that year. They later reformed in 1992 for a self-titled third album and continued to tour intermittently in the decades that followed. - NME, 6/28/26...... In related news, Mick Jagger has named some of his favorite Rolling Stones albums and songs in a new interview with Today as he promotes the band's upcoming album Foreign Tongues. Asked if he had a favorite Stones album, Jagger replied: "I think Sticky Fingers is really good. I think Beggars Banquet is really good. I think Hackney Diamonds is pretty good, too." When asked if he had one favorite Rolling Stones song, Jagger answered: "I mean, there's so many different styles," he said. "You're running the gamut of 'Sympathy For The Devil', you know, 'Start Me Up', 'Angie', 'Honky Tonk Women'." The Stones are now preparing to release Foreign Tongues, their 25th studio album, on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. The 14-track record has been produced by Andrew Watt, who also worked on Hackney Diamonds. The iconic band has recently shared tracks from the new album -- "Divine Intervention" on YouTube, and "Jealous Lover" on Amazon.com. Meanwhile, Jagger has revealed that the idea of a big-screen Rolling Stones biopic "interests" him in a new interview with GQ magazine, although he admitted it would be difficult to decide which period of the band's sprawling 64-year career to focus on. The legendary frontman was asked about the possibility of the band receiving the biopic treatment in the context of Sam Mendes' upcoming four-film Beatles project. "Yeah, it interests me," Jagger replied when asked whether a similar treatment for the Stones would appeal to him. "I don't want to impart it to you, but, I know how I see it," he continued. "There's lots of ways of doing biopics. So most of the time when you do a biopic, you do one small section of someone's life bookended by some other stuff." Jagger then pointed to the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which starred Timothée Chalamet and focused on Dylan's early years in New York and his controversial move from folk to electric music. "Take the Bob Dylan movie," Jagger said. "You do the moment when Bob went electric. You'd have to think, what are you going to zero in on? And where's your two years of interest? I mean that Bob Dylan one was two years, [the] James Brown one that I produced was slightly more." Asked which section of the Stones' history he would choose, Jagger added: "I don't know which section, because it's a long period." - NME, 6/28/26...... 
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 Instagram account reads. "This use is not authorized, and the Estate does not support or approve of this or any similar usage." The statement ends with a tongue-in-cheek nod to one of the president's favorite social media sign-offs, simply stating: "Thank you for your attention to this matter." According to the Recording Industry Association of America, "Hallelujah" has been performed by more than 300 singers across multiple languages and decades, including high-profile versions by Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Pentatonix and the Shrek soundtrack. Before Cohen's 2016 death, he had reacted to the song's multitude of covers in a 2009 interview with The Guardian, saying, "I was reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it, and the reviewer said, 'Can we please have a moratorium on "Hallelujah" in movies and television shows?' and I kind of feel the same way. I think it's a good song, but too many people sing it." - Billboard, 6/24/26...... Lionel Richie has postponed his next two concerts after cutting the opening night of his co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire short after suffering a dizzy spell on stage in Minnesota earlier in June. Richie, 77, told the crowd he needed to sit down while performing because he felt dizzy. He forged ahead with singing "Dancing on the Ceiling," then left the stage for an intermission. Nevertheless, Lionel took the opportunity to joke to the crowd. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he said. Less than an hour later, saxophone player Dino Soldo told the crowd that the show was canceled because Lionel was "not feeling well," according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. On June 25, Live Nation Chicago posted on Instagram that the former Commodores member and '80s solo superstar's back-to-back performances in Chicago on June 26 and Columbus, Oh., on June 27 had been pushed back "under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health." "Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans," it reads. "We apologize for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon." His concert on June 30 in Pittsburgh is still expected to go on as planned. - Billboard, 6/26/26...... Billy Joel's 1974 breakthrough hit "Piano Man" has topped Billboard's Top TV Songs chart after a synch in the eighth episode of Amazon Prime Video's The Boys' fifth season which was also its series finale. In a scene that helped conclude the show's seven-year run, "Piano Man" racked up 19.1 million official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads in May 2026 en route to its No. 1 bow on the TV Songs chart, according to Luminate. Other '70s songs making the chart include Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" from Netflix's The Boroughs (No. 3), Bob Seger's "Night Moves" also from The Boroughs (No. 5), and Steely Dan's "Do It Again" from HBO's Euphoria (No. 6). - Billboard, 6/25/26...... 
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 Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 (1970) topped the Hot 200, with the former climbing to No. 1 for seven nonconsecutive weeks and the latter heading the charts for two weeks. The band spawned three No. 2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with Blood, Sweat & Tears 3: "Spinning Wheel," "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and "And When I Die." It won a Grammy for album of the year in 1970. A track from the album, "Variations on a Theme by Eric Satie," won Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance, and the album was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. After helping usher several other tracks onto the top 40, including 1970's "Hi-De-Ho" and 1971's "Go Down Gamblin'," the group's popularity began to wane and Mr. Clayton-Thomas briefly left the group in 1972, the same year his self-titled solo album charted on the Billboard Hot 200. A few years later, however, he returned, remaining as a constant in Blood, Sweat & Tears' lineup until 2004, with the act billed as "Blood, Sweat & Tears Featuring David Clayton-Thomas." Mr. Clayton-Thomas would resume his solo work shortly after that, releasing album Aurora in 2005 followed by The Evergreens in 2008, Soul Ballads in 2010, A Blues for the New World in 2013, Combo in 2016, Canadiana in 2016, Mobius in 2018 and Say Somethin' in 2020. He also worked as an A&R rep for several labels, as well as a reporter for TV stations. His accolades include an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, a Juno Award and a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. He is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham. He is survived by his daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham. - Billboard, 2/25/26.
In a new interview with the UK's Uncut magazine, Keith Richards has suggested that The Rolling Stones may favor residencies over traditional touring because physical demands of travel have become the biggest obstacle to the band performing live. "I don't know if tours are possible," Richards said. "It's the travelling that takes it out of you. But I do see the possibility of us doing residency somewhere. Wherever it is, London, New York, Paris, anywhere. I'll play Rome! But I don't see why they shouldn't be able to throw some shows together in a new format." Richards' comments come after Mick Jagger recently told BBC Radio 2 that he hopes to tour the Stones "as soon as possible" -- though he acknowledged it would not happen this year. The band scrapped plans for a U.K. and European stadium tour in 2026 after Richards was unable to commit to the run. The band's latest and 25th studio album, Foreign Toungues, will drop on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music and feature guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, and the band's late drummer Charlie Watts. It includes previously released tracks "Rough and Twisted" and "In the Stars," as well as a cover of Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good." Meanwhile, on June 19 the Stones announced the launch of a Speaking in Tongues podcast featuring interviews with Jagger, Richards and guitarist Ronnie Wood. Narrated by Norah Jones, the podcast will feature behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the LP over six episodes, with the band sharing studio techniques, creative influences and their songwriting process. The first episode goes live on June 25, and its trailer can be streamed on Spotify.com. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 6/23/26...... 
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 "Boogie Nights" and "Always and Forever." "Jackson 5 Live In Concert" comes amid the huge worldwide success of biopic Michael, which documents the "Thriller" singer's life and stars his nephew Jaafar Jackson, son of J5 member Jermaine Jackson, in the lead role. Speaking recently about seeing Jaafar on the big screen as his late sibling, Marlon recently told People: "Jaafar is unbelievable. As a matter of fact, I think he's the only one that could have done this. I'm watching the movie and sometimes I'm thinking I'm watching Michael up there, and I forget 'Oh, it's Jaafar.'" - Music-News.com, 6/22/26...... It's not as good as catching Paul Simon on the singer-songwriter's "A Quiet Celebration Tour," but it's the next best thing. On June 26, fans can enjoy Simon's brand-new two-hour concert special, Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert, streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Expect deep cuts, new arrangements and timeless hits recorded live at McCaw Hall in Seattle. It's also a story of triumph -- a legendary performer learning the stage again after beginning to experience hearing loss. - AP, 6/24/26...... Actress Anne Schedeen, best known for playing ALF matriarch Kate Tanner on the 1986-1990 NBC sitcom, died on June 14. She was 77. Born in Portland, Ore., in January 1949, Sheeden first tried acting in a local theatre before she moved east to New York to kick-start her professional career in the entertainment industry. She was cast as one of Jack Tripper's (John Ritter) girlfriends in Three's Company, and also had credits in Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, and ER. In 1986, she was cast as Kate Tanner in ALF, which follows the titular alien who landed in the family's garage and moved in. Speaking of her time on the show, she recalled to People magazine: [It was] extremely slow, hot, and tedious. If you had a scene with ALF, it took centuries. A 30-minute show took 20 to 25 hours to shoot. Some of the actors in the cast had difficult personalities. The whole thing was a big, dysfunctional family." In a post on Schedeen's Facebook page, her family penned: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully. She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip-smart humour, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story. We are bereft without her. We loved her so so much, as did all who met her." A cause of death is yet to be revealed. - NZHerald.co.nz, 6/18/26...... Director and television creator James Burrows, who helmed episodes of such beloved TV comedies as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Laverne & Shirley, The Bob Newhart Show and many other classic shows, died on 19. He was 85. "We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James 'Jimmy' Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family," his family said in a statement. "For more than five decades, [he] was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history [who] helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world," the family added. The time and place of his death were not disclosed. Mr. Burrows won 11 Emmy awards for excellence in television and helmed more than 1,000 episodes of hit programs, working as a director, producer and writer. He was among the early innovators of the multi-camera sitcom when his prolific career began in the 1970s directing episodes of Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart and Laverne & Shirley. He is first Emmy came for directing Taxi, a groundbreaking comedy starring Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman and Tony Danza, about the rough and tumble staff of a New York City taxicab company. He directed 236 episodes and also co-created Cheers with longtime collaborator James Brooks, as well as its spin-off Frasier. His other hit shows include The Big Bang Theory Mike & Molly, and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Recently, the director took a rare step in front of the camera and starred as himself in The Comeback, reuniting with Friends star Lisa Kudrow for a show that pokes fun at life behind the scenes working on a sitcom in Hollywood. - AFP, 6/20/26...... 
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, "Mandy," in 1975. That same year, Davis plucked Patti Smith from relative obscurity to release her hugely influential and successful 1975 debut album Horses. He also helped engineer comebacks for a number of older stars whose careers had lost some of their shimmer, from Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick to Santana, whose 1999 collaborative album Supernatural went multi-platinum and scored a total of nine Grammy wins, including album of the year. Including his Grammy win for that album, Davis won four Grammys during his lifetime out of five nominations. Mr. Davis' biggest success at Artista came when he signed Whitney Houston, the younger cousin of Arista artist Dionne Warwick. On the release of her 1985 self-titled debut album, Houston shot to fame with a trio of No. 1 hits on the Hot 100, including "How Will I Know," "Saving All My Love for You" and "Greatest Love of All." Houston went on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time, notching a total of 11 No. 1 hits on the pop charts during the course of a career that was cut short with her death in 2012. In 2002, after BMG purchased a majority stake in J Records, Mr. Davis was named president and CEO of RCA Music Group. He remained in that role until 2008, when, at age 76, he was named chief creative officer at Sony BMG, and, later, chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment, a title he held until his death. He published an autobiography, The Soundtrack of My Life, in 2013. Outside of music, Mr. Davis became known for his humanitarian efforts, including his work battling the AIDS epidemic beginning in the mid-1980s. "To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives," said the Davis family in a statement. "He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations. Barry Manilow reflected on the pair's partnership spanning more than five decades. "My heart is heavy with the loss of my friend Clive Davis," Manilow wrote. "For fifty years we worked together, created together, argued together, and celebrated together. Yes, some would say it was business. But to Clive, it never was. It was family. And I was honored to be a part of his. Thank you Clive. I wish we could do it all again." - Billboard, 6/22/26.
The Beatles are getting back to where they once belonged with the world's first official Beatles fan experience is set to open at London's Savile Row, home to the band's famous 1969 rooftop concert, in 2027. On May 11, Apple Corps Ltd announced that they will be returning to 3 Savile Row in the heart of London's Mayfair district for a new fan experience and museum. The seven floors of the Georgian townhouse will include "never-seen-before material from Apple Corps' extensive archives, rotating exhibitions, fan store, and the recreation of the original studio where 
Accepting the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize at the Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto on May 13, Elton John revealed that he has just finished recording a new album which is "so different" to all of his previous albums and, "so happy." John, 80, described the new LP as completely different to his more-than-30 previous albums, and said he began working on the record after retiring from touring in 2023 -- having played over 300 shows on the 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road' tour -- and dropping the collaborative album with Brandi Carlile Who Believes In Angels? in 2025. Work on the new material also followed on from the music icon contracting a serious eye infection in 2024 and revealing that he has "only limited vision in one eye." Sir Elton acknowledged how his recent struggles helped fuel the new album and discover a new approach to songwriting: "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---ed at the moment. "What my eye has given me is a chance of, at 80 years of age, completely reversing how I write. I'm writing melodies first, and lyrics coming second. I've never done that. And I've just done it. And I've just done an album, which is so different to anything I've ever done before, but it's so happy." He continued: "I'm so thrilled with it because it's given me another chance to make music. If don't listen to music, I'm dead. Music is my soul, my driving force. It is everything and has been everything to me all my life." The Glenn Gould Prize honours people who have made "a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts." Recipients are awarded $100,000, and the "Tiny Dancer" singer donated the sum back to the Glenn Gould Foundation. Meanwhile, John has just been named as one of the famous charitable individuals included in Time magazine's new Top 100 Philanthropists list. The magazine recognized Sir Elton and his husband, David Furnish, for their decades-long work fighting for a cure for HIV/AIDS via the Elton John AIDS Foundation, as well as Willie Nelson who made the list for cofounding the annual benefit concert Farm Aid and raising millions over the course of his career for disaster relief, veterans and those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. - NME/Billboard, 5/14/26...... Speaking of Willie Nelson, the veteran country/pop superstar has joined Dolly Parton with a song on Billboard's Hot Country chart in each decade since the 1960's. Nelson, now 93, reached the milestone through his collaborations with Kacey Musgraves on her new single "Uncertain, TX." Willie's latest chart acheivement comes 64 years and two months after he first reached the Hot Country Songs chart with "Willingly," which hit No. 10 in 1962. He tallied two top 10s that decade, along with 13 in the '70s, 24 in the '80s and one each in the '90s and 2000s. Of those, 21 hit No. 1. He most recently charted with a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," featuring Paula Nelson, his daughter (No. 36 peak, 2019). - Billboard, 5/12/26...... Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson has won a major court ruling in a bitter legal battle with the executors of her late dad's estate. In a decision handed down in April, a Los Angeles judge sided with Paris and ruled that $625,000 in bonuses paid to three outside law firms by executors John Branca and John McClain were improper and must be "returned to the estate." The executors had argued that the payments, made in 2018, were fair compensation for "extraordinary success" and that they "incentivize hard work" by lawyers. But the judge said a more detailed explanation was necessary to support more than half a million dollars in bonuses. "On the evidence presented, the bonus amounts paid appear arbitrary -- what Mr. Branca determined was appropriate," Judge Mitchell Beckloff wrote in the ruling. However the judge praised Branca and McClain's success running the Jackson estate, saying they had "provided exceptional services" to Jackson's heirs: "There can be no dispute that under the expertise of the executors, this estate has transformed from teetering on the brink of bankruptcy to the financial powerhouse that it is today." In a statement to Billboard, the executors highlighted the judge's praise of their work and stressed that the judge "did not in any way say that the executors had made any inappropriate payments to themselves." "Ultimately, while we disagree with the decision, we fully respect it and plan to move forward accordingly," the executors wrote. A spokesperson for Paris, meanwhile, called the ruling a "massive win" for the Jackson family that would allow them to "finally get transparency and accountability measures Paris has fought for." Meanwhile, MJ now has a Billboard Hot 200 Top 10 album in each decade with his greatest hits album, Number Ones. One the Billboard 200 chart dated May 16, the album climbed seven spots to No. 6, becoming Jackson's 11th top 10 and his first new top 10 of the 2020s. Number Ones was first released in 2003 and jumped into the top 10 on the latest chart following the continued buzz generated by the Jackson biopic Michael. - Billboard, 5/13/26...... Journey have added 40 more dates to their 2026 "Final Frontier" North American tour. With the tour slated to ramp up again after a brief break on May 15 in Tampa, Fla., the veteran classic rockers announced the addition of 40 more shows on May 12, which will come on top of a previously announced run of 28 gigs. The new gigs will start with a Sept. 12 gig at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and are currently slated to wind down with a Nov. 28 show in the long-running group's hometown of San Francisco at the Chase Center. The news comes several days after a Rolling Stone magazine report on the band that featured quotes from current frontman Arnel Pineda -- who joined the group in 2007, replacing original lead singer Steve Perry -- saying he almost didn't join Journey on their farewell tour and that they didn't consult him before booking the 60-date outing. They appeared to settle things and have been on the road this spring, with the final go-round slated to keep the "Don't Stop Believin'" rockers touring through the end of the year. - Billboard, 5/13/26...... 
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's son Jack Osbourne has revealed that a biopic about his parents "will absolutely happen" and should be released sometime in 2028. An Ozzy/Sharon film was first announced in 2021, and is set to tell the story of the Prince Of Darkness and his wife/manager, Sharon. It is being written by Oscar-nominee Lee Hall (Rocketman, Billy Elliott), and developed by Sony Pictures and Polygram Entertainment. In Aug. 2025, it was reported that the project was still in the works after Ozzy died the previous month, aged 76. Jack then confirmed in January that a "phenomenal" lead actor was attached. Taking to his 
Rod Stewart has told King Charles that he "put that little ratbag" Donald Trump "in his place." Speaking to the monarch at an event which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the King's Trust (formerly the Prince's Trust) on May 11, Sir Rod praised the King for his recent visit to the US and the summit with US president Trump. "You were superb. Absolutely superb. You put that little ratbag in his place," Stewart said, to which the King appeared to laugh. The comments from Stewart come just months after the "Maggie Mae" singer hit out at Trump over his false claims about British troops in Afghanistan, and urged for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to force the President to apologise. At the time, Trump questioned whether NATO allies would come to America's aid, and claimed some nations avoided serving on the front line in Afghanistan. "It hurts me badly, deeply, when I read that draft dodger Trump has criticised our troops in Afghanistan for not being on the front line," Stewart said in a video shared to social media afterwards, going on to highlight the scale of British deaths during the conflict, where 457 UK service personnel were killed. "We lost over 400 of our guys Think of their parents. Think about it. And Trump calls them almost like cowards. It's unbearable," he said. Before then, Stewart spoke about his relationship with Trump, who is his former neighbour, and said that while they used to be close, "since he became President, he became another guy. Somebody I didn't know." He added that Trump's role in Israel's war in Gaza made a potential reconnection difficult: "No, I can't anymore. As long as he's selling arms to the Israelis -- and he still is. How's that war ever gonna stop?" In Mar. 2025, Stewart also weighed in on a confrontational meeting between Trump and Ukranian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, D.C., stressing that "we must keep supporting the Ukrainians." - NME, 5/12/26...... Van Morrison has announced he'll play a five-night residency at the brand new British Airways ARC venue at Olympia, London, on Sept. 23, 24, 27, 28 and 29. All the Van Morrison gigs will be fully seated, with tickets going on sale on May 15. The shows will mark the first residency at the venue after it opens its doors on June 16. "We are thrilled to welcome Van Morrison as the very first artist to have a residency at our brand-new venue," said Lucy Noble, SVP UK venues AEG Presents in a new statement. "The shows are set to be incredible." The London gigs come following the singer-songwriter recently dropping the new album Somebody Tried To Sell Me A Bridge, which sees him make a return to blues and cover tracks from huge names of the genre like B.B.King and Buddy Guy. In April, the "Moondance" singer took home the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Jazz FM Awards, and later this summer he is set to play at multiple festivals including the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival alongside Nick Cave, Lewis Capaldi and others. - NME, 5/11/26...... Blues and soul musician Clarence Carter, best known for the 1970's hits 
Jack Douglas, one of the hardest working rock producers of the 1970s and 1980s best known for working with the likes of John Lennon, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and many others, died on May 11 from complications from lymphoma. He was 80. "As many of you who follow him know, he produced great music, and lived a colorful life," Mr. Douglas's family wrote in a 
Eric Clapton decided to end his gig early at Madrid's Movistar Arena on May 7 after a fan in one of the front rows hurled a vinyl LP at the veteran rocker which hit him in the chest. The guitarist, playing the Spanish capital as part of his current European tour, had just finished a rendition of his U.S. 1980 hit "Cocaine," and had been scheduled to return for an encore of the blues standard "Before You Accuse Me" in his 13-song set, but in the end he chose not to retake the stage. "Very sad indeed. What kind of idiot does that?," one fan posted on 
Cher and her frequent songwriting collaborator Diane Warren have scored a number of chart hits over the years, including such classics as "If I Could Turn Back Time," "Just Like Jesse James" and "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," and on May 8 Warren reposted an 
A new Ian Curtis exhibition will open in New York this summer and will feature rare archival material, including handwritten Joy Division lyrics. Held at the Voltz Clarke Gallery between June 25 and July 22, "Ian Curtis: Insight" will bring pieces from the late singer's archive to the United States for the first time and offer a new perspective on the UK's iconic Manchester artist. On display will be an "intimate and revealing" selection of handwritten lyrics, photographs, personal letters, ephemera and artefacts. They are being brought over from the The John Rylands Library at The University of Manchester, where they are housed as part of the British Pop Archive. Many of the pieces from the archive have never come to the US before, and organizers say that bringing them across the pond now, 46 years after Curtis' death, proves how his music continues to resonate with people across the globe. "This exhibition is part of The University of Manchester's remit to share our Special Collections globally," said Professor Christopher Pressler, University Librarian and Director of The John Rylands Library. Curtis and his bandmates first founded Joy Division in Salford, England back in 1976 under the name Warsaw. They changed their name to Joy Division in early 1978, and stayed together until the frontman took his own life in May 1980, after battling depression and epilepsy. Bandmates Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris went on to form New Order after his death, and have made numerous tributes to the late singer over the years. Both Joy Division and New Order will enter the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as a single act during a ceremony in Los Angeles in November, following previous nominations in 2023 and 2025. - NME, 5/8/26...... During a recent interview on CBS Sunday Morning on May 3, Sting praised the "extraordinary work ethic" of his six children, and doubled-down on not passing his fortune down to them. Sting has two children with his first wife, son Joe Sumner and daughter Fuschia Sumner, as well as four kids with his second wife, Trudie Styler, Mickey, Jake, Eliot and Giacomo Sumner. "I think that's a form of abuse that I hope I'm never guilty of," Sting said, adding that all of his kids have been blessed with an "extraordinary work ethic," whether from their famous dad's DNA or from him simply being very frank about his financial planning. "Guys, you got to work," Sting says he told his kids. "I'm spending our money. I'm paying for your education. You've got shoes on your feet. Go to work. That's not cruel. I think there's a kindness there and a trust that they will make their own way. They're tough, my kids." Speaking about his stage musical," The Last Ship," in which he pays tribute to the hard-working shipbuilders fallen upon hard times in his home city of Newcastle, the 74-year-old musician said he took to heart the values of those working-class folks. "The working class works and wants to work. I'm one of those people, I love to work," he said. Sting's "3.0" US tour kicked off at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. on May 6. His CBS Sunday Morning interview can be streamed on 
Deep Purple have confirmed their new studio album 
Police were called to the Los Angeles home of The Four Seasons lead singer Franki Valli on the evening of May 3, according to TMZ.com. A report claimed that someone had violated a restraining order related to a domestic dispute, an LAPD spokesperson told People magazine. The "My Eyes Adored You" singer was granted a three-year restraining order against his son Francesco Valli in Apr. 2024. According to dispatch audio obtained by People, a 38-year-old man was "banging on the door demanding entry." L.A. police officers, including a police helicopter, responded to the home and found no evidence of a crime. The air unit then cleared the scene. Then less than a minute later, another call was generated from the address for a "family dispute - restraining order violation." "This is a private family matter, and it was resolved before the authorities arrived," a rep for Valli told People. The restraining order was granted after Francesco attempted to break into his father's property in 2024. Valli's younger son Emilio claimed that Francesco "repeatedly physically threatened to harm or kill" him and his father. In the filing, he noted that threats like this had been happening for "several months" but had escalated since Valli financially cut off Francesco. Francesco was ordered to have no contact with Emilio or Valli and to stay at least 100 yards away from their homes, cars and workplaces. The restraining order is set to expire on Apr. 29, 2027. Valli shares Francesco and twins Emilio and Brando with his third wife, Randy Clohessy. Valli had three daughters, Celia, Antonia and Francine, with his first wife, Mary Mandel. Celia and Francine died in separate incidents in 1980. - Music-News.com, 5/7/26...... Alex Ligertwood, the Scottish singer best known for his work with Santana, died at his Santa Monica, Calif. home on Apr. 30. He was 79. "It's with great sadness and heartache to announce the passing of my sweet dear Alex Ligertwood," his wife Shawn Brogan wrote in a statement. "Alex died peacefully in his sleep with his doggy Bobo by his side. [He] was loved by so many. If you knew him, you loved him. He touched so many with his extraordinary voice. He was all heart and soul." Ligertwood played with a wide range of artists, but is best remembered for his stints as lead vocalist with Santana between 1979 and 1994. His soulful voice helped to define that era of the Latin rock band, featuring on albums including Marathon (1979), Zebop! (1981) and Sacred Fire: Live In South America (1993). He sang on some of the band's most beloved tracks, including "Winning," "Hold On" and "You Know That I Love You," during a period when Santana pivoted to more of an AOR style. Born in Glasgow on Dec. 18, 1946, Ligertwood began playing skiffle in the 1950s and joined the band The Senate, and prior to joining Santana, he also worked alongside The Jeff Beck Group and Average White Band, building a reputation as a standout vocalist. In recent years, he continued to perform live and he released a solo album Outside The Box in 2019, and had performed his final show just a few weeks before his passing, capping a career that spanned six decades. - NME, 5/4/26...... 
Media mogul Ted Turner, who pioneered the modern 24-hour news culture when he launched the CNN channel in 1980, died on May 6. He was 87. Mr. Turner launched Cable News Network as the first dedicated rolling news channel, which soon became a central part of the media landscape. The network initially faced scepticism and struggles, being mocked as the "Chicken Noodle Network" in its early years by those who thought it would not succeed. But the channel proved its worth by providing speedy and continuous updates of stories like the assassination attempt on US Pres. Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986. Then it truly came of age with its live rolling coverage from Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. But CNN was far from Turner's only outlet. He began his career by taking over the successful family billboard company when his father took his own life, then bought a radio station in Atlanta, Ga. Within a decade, that station had become the foundation of the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and its boss was one of the biggest media moguls in the US. He was also known for his brash personality, which earned him the nicknames "the Mouth of the South" and "Captain Outrageous." He even lived in CNN's headquarters for a number of years, often walking around the newsroom in his bath robe, "eager to debate the day's news," according to current CNN CEO/chairman Mark Thompson. Born Robert Edward Turner III was in Cincinnati on Nov. 19, 1938, Mr. Turner grew up mostly in Savannah, Ga. The foundation of his broadcasting empire was a money-bleeding UHF station, then WTCG, in Atlanta, which he bought in 1970 for $2.5 million. Beyond the media, Mr. Turner was a world-class yachtsman, winning the America's Cup in 1977. In 1983, a Rupert Murdoch-sponsored yacht collided with Mr. Turner's boat in an Australian race, which led Mr. Turner to challenge Murdoch to a fist fight. Mr. Turner also owned sport properties including the Atlanta Braves baseball team, Atlanta Hawks basketball team and Atlanta Thrashers ice hockey team. Mr. Turner's television empire also included the TBS and TNT channels, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network. He made a short-lived, ill-fated $1.5 billion acquisition of the MGM film studios in 1985. He went on to buy film and TV companies Castle Rock Entertainment and New Line Cinema in the 1990s, before his company merged with Time Warner. He eventually sold his company to Time Warner in a fateful deal that wiped out a lot of his fortune and was seen as something that took his power away in the media. He then became a major philanthropist, donating $1 billion to the United Nations and millions more to environmental causes, and promoted and invested in clean energy. He was married to actress Jane Fonda from 1991 until 2001. In 2018, Mr. Turner revealed he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative nerve disease. In an 
In other Grammy-related news, Sharon Osbourne is calling the 2026 show's tribute to her late husband Ozzy Osbourne "a moment carved into musical history." "Last night was bigger than a performance," Sharon posted on Instagram on Feb. 2. "It was a moment carved into musical history. Reminding everyone that rock isn't nostalgia -- it's alive, evolving, and still the heartbeat of music." Her praise was for a performance during the In Memoriam section of the Grammys in which Post Malone and Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash led a group that also included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, GNR bassist Duff McKagan and producer Andrew Watt , who was behind the boards for Osbourne's final two studio albums, 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9. The band thundered through the 1970 Black Sabbath anti-war song "War Pigs," and Sharon re-posted a shot from the performance that included footage of her getting emotional alongside the couple's adult children Jack and Kelly Osbourne. Sharon was also honored for her monumental impact on the music industry at Billboard's Power 100 event over the Grammys weekend, receiving the Visionary Award. Meanwhile, Sharon has revealed that she is "seriously thinking" about running for mayor of Birmingham, the UK home city of Ozzy, in a brief interview with Billboard while on the red carpet for this year's Grammys. Sharon was told by host Leila Cobo that she was getting praise for how well she spoke at one of the Grammy-related events ahead of the Feb. 1 ceremony. In response, Sharon thanked the host for her compliment and suggested that the skill may come in handy soon as she is "seriously thinking about running for mayor of Birmingham." Due to the quick pace of the interview, there was little time for Sharon to expand on why she wanted to run, or how far along she was into looking at the process. Sharon has previously said that she was thinking of getting involved in politics in Birmingham after learning that someone with a terrorism conviction was allegedly seeking a seat on Birmingham's City Council. "This has nothing to do with racism. I think I'm gonna move to Birmingham and put my name down for the ballot to be on the council. I'm serious," she said. - Billboard/New Musical Express, 2/3/26...... David Byrne has added fresh UK and Ireland shows to his "Who Is The Sky?" world tour. The former Talking Heads frontman will now be heading to Dublin (June 7), (July 18), Edinburgh (July 21), and Cardiff (July 26) alongside his already announced headline slot at Latitude Festival in Suffolk on July 24. Byrne toured Australia and New Zealand in January and is set for his first UK and European leg in 2026 across February and March, before heading to North America in the spring -- including slots at both Coachella Festival weekends. His European shows include a mix of headline gigs and festival slots, with the musician set to appear at the likes of Open'er Festival in Poland (July 1) and Bilbao BBK Live in Spain. Byrne is touring behind his his first solo album in over six years, also titled Who Is The Sky?. - NME, 2/3/26...... In other UK touring news, Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton have added more UK and European dates to their "Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello" tour in June and July. Due to demand, eight dates have been added to bring the total to 13, including a new show at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 20 and others in cities including Brighton, Stockholm, Hamburg and Oslo. Costello first announced a five-date tour in December, taking in Birmingham, London, Portsmouth, Newcastle and the TW Classic festival in Werchter, Belgium. He's joined by his band The Imposters, as well as guitarist Sexton, best known for his time in Bob Dylan's band. Sexton joined Costello for the 2021 "Hello Again" tour and has continued to hit the road with him in the time since. Two of The Imposters, keyboardist Steve Nieve and drummer Pete Thomas, were members of his band The Attractions, which formed in 1977. As the tour's name suggests, the shows will see Costello concentrate on playing material from his earlier discography, including the 1977 debut album 
The years long legal feud between Linda Cummings Ramone, the widow of Johnny Ramone and the late Joey Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh (real name Mitchel Hyman) over the Ramones' legacy has finally reached a resolution. According to a Feb. 2 court filing from music manager Dave Frey, a former board member of Ramones Productions Inc. (RPI), a settlement in an estate dispute has been reached with Hyman, who was previously the other 50% owner of RPI, transferring his share to Linda Ramone per a binding term sheet agreement dated Nov. 18, 2025. Linda Ramone now owns 100% of the shares of RPI and has free rein to fully control RPI. Joey Ramone (born Jeffrey Hyman) and Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), who were not actual brothers, both died in the early 2000s. A 2005 shareholder agreement split the Ramones' legacy exactly 50-50 between each family, an arrangement that spurred years of bitter infighting between Cummings-Ramone and Leigh. - Billboard, 2/3/26...... As The Guess Who frontman Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman recently returned to the stage for the first time in decades, the other half of the band, Guess Who founding drummer Garry Peterson and founding bassist James Kale, has launched a new lawsuit. In a new complaint against performing rights management firm BMI, Peterson and Kale claim they suffered millions of dollars in losses when lead singer/songwriter Cummings terminated his entire performing rights agreement with BMI. Cummings owns the publishing rights to the band's biggest hits, including 
In a new interview with the UK paper Daily Mail, Queen's Brian May has said his band is ruling out a tour in the US anytime soon as America has become a "dangerous place." Queen last hit the road in North America in 2023, as part of their ambitious "Rhapsody Tour" with Adam Lambert. However, May now says that "America is a dangerous place at the moment, so you have to take that into account." Reflecting on how the US had changed since Queen first visited in their early days, May continued: "It's very sad because I feel like Queen grew up in America and we love it, but it's not what it was. Everyone is thinking twice about going there at the moment." The guitarist's comments come amid a troubling period in the US under the administration of Pres. Donald Trump. Many artists and figures from the entertainment world have spoken out recently, as protests continue against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents, in particular, have triggered outrage across the States. ICE has described its highly controversial actions in Minnesota as "the largest mass deportation operation in American history." Celebrities who have condemned ICE and Pres. Trump include Neil Young, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Green Day, Moby, Duran Duran, Dave Matthews, Stranger Things star Joe Keery and Spider-Man actor Yuri Lowenthal. - NME, 1/30/26...... In related news, Bruce Springsteen's anti-ICE song "Streets of Minneapolis" has made a No. 1 sales debut on Billboard Digital Song Sales chart dated Feb. 7. The song, which can be streamed on 
The first trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, dropped on Feb. 2 for the new movie that tracks the late King of Pop's growth from child singer to international superstar. "You're confident. You're strong. You're beautiful. You're the greatest of all time," we hear star Jaafar Jackson -- MJ's real-life nephew -- say in a confident pump-up speech to himself at the top of the two-minute preview. Director Antoine Fuqua (Stans, Bullet Train) then zooms out from the period just before Jackson's solo career went meteoric to footage of MJ at his moon-walking, stadium sell-out peak, with the singer's kin effortlessly pulling off the tricky dance moves and Jackson's signature vocal yelps. Fuqua then rewinds all the way back to the beginning, with imperious family patriarch Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo), explaining how things are, and are going to be, to his musically talented family around their Gary, In., dining room table. "Let me tell you somethin'," Joe Jackson says as MJ's 1979 "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" solo hit bubbles up and we see the singer and his brothers in the Jackson Five refining their soon-to-be-chart-topping act. "In this life, you're either a winner or a loser. Y'all want to work in a steel mill like me for the rest of your days?" The $155 million film, two years in the making and originally slated for an Oct. 2025 release, is due out in the US on Apr. 24. The trailer can be watched on 
The home security company Ring is aiming to reunite lost dogs with families in a new ad for the upcoming Super Bowl game on Feb. 7 soundtracked by a No. 1 '70s hit ballad, Harry Nilsson's 
Chuck Negron, a founding member and lead vocalist of Three Dog Night, died at his home in Studio City, Calif., on Feb. 2. He was 83. Mr. Negron died surrounded by family, according to a statement shared with Billboard. No immediate cause of death was announced, though the singer had been living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for decades and had recently battled heart failure. Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942, Mr. Negron grew up in the Bronx, where he sang in doo-wop groups before earning a basketball scholarship that brought him to Los Angeles. In 1967, he joined Danny Hutton and the late Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a vocal trio built around harmony-driven arrangements and carefully selected songs from outside writers -- a strategy that helped make the group one of the most commercially successful acts of the late 1960s and early '70s. Negron's unmistakable lead vocals powered many of the band's biggest hits, including 
Prolific actress Catherine O'Hara, known for her roles in Home Alone, Schitt's Creek and Best in Show, died on Jan. 30 following a brief illness. She was 71. Over a career that spanned more than 50 years, O'Hara left an indelible impression on audiences with her searing wit, subtle eccentricity and fearless pursuit of a good laugh. Born on Mar. 4, 1954, in Toronto, O'Hara's career in Hollywood began with the Canadian sketch comedy series Second City Television. That show earned the beloved actress her first PrimeTime Emmy Award, an accolade that she'd again win in 2020 for her performance in Schitt's Creek. O'Hara's first credited Hollywood movie is 1980's Nothing Personal, she then went on to star in 1980's Double Negative and 1983's Rock & Rule before playing the memorable role of Gail in Martin Scorsese's After Hours, which was released in 1985. Her stardom continued to rise after playing Delia Deetz in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice, released in 1988. Just two years later, she starred as Kevin McCallister's mom, Kate McCallister, in Home Alone. She reprised this role again in the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Following that, O'Hara voiced Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas and appeared in movies such as 1994's Wyatt Earp, 1996's Waiting for Huffman, 1997's Pippi Longstocking, 2000's Best in Show, and 2004's Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, among many other titles. Her career had a major renaissance in her 60s when she starred as Moira Rose in the popular Schitt's Creek sitcom alongside Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy. She recently played Patty Leigh in the first season of Seth Rogen's Hollywood sendup The Studio, and Gail Lynden in Season 2 of HBO's zombie apocalypse drama The Last of Us, both of which earned her 2025 Emmy nominations. Additionally, O'Hara reprised her Delia Deetz character in the Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and voiced a character in the award-winning The Wild Robot movie released in 2024. "Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more," her Home Alone costar Macaulay Culkin poignantly posted after her death. "I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say." - ComingSoon.net, 1/31/26.
As Minneapolis and other locations in America are struggling with the controversial arrest and deportation tactics of the US immigration agency ICE under Pres. Donald Trump's administration, Neil Young has declared he is done with the "fascist Trump regime" -- and all the companies he claims are financially backing it. On Jan. 29, the Canadian-American singer-songwriter took to his Neil Young Archives site to post a 
Deceased Seventies artists Ozzy Osbourne and Roberta Flack are among the musicians set to be honored at the 2026 Grammy Awards. In honor of late heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne, Post Malone will join forces with Guns N' Roses members Slash and Duff McKagan, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith for a performance. They will also be joined on stage by renowned producer Andrew WattThey will also be joined on stage by renowned producer Andrew Watt, who worked with the Prince Of Darkness on his last two solo albums: 2020's Ordinary Man and 2022's Patient Number 9. Osbourne died in his family home in Buckinghamshire following a heart attack last July, aged 76. Lauryn Hill will take to the stage to honor R&B/jazz star Flack, who died in Feb. 2025 after battling ALS for the past few years. The Recording Academy announced that there will be special tribute performances held for the late artists, which also include neo-soul icon D'Angelo, during the ceremony. Lifetime Achievement awards will be presented to Carlos Santana and Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin will also be honored with the Trustees Award. The 68th annual Grammys are set for Feb. 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET and run until 11:30 p.m. ET. Those without cable subscriptions can watch through services like YouTubeTV and FuboTV. - New Musical Express, 1/29/26...... In other Ozzy Osbourne-related news, Ozzy's widow Sharon Osbourne revealed in a recent interview that she is considering bringing OzzFest back, and it could return as soon as 2027. Speaking to Billboard, Sharon said that she had been "talking to [concert promoter] Live Nation" about having the live music event return. "It was something Ozzy was very passionate about: giving young talent a stage in front of a lot of people," she said. "We really started metal festivals in this country. It was [replicated but] never done with the spirit of what ours was, because ours was a place for new talent. It was like summer camp for kids," she added. Sharon went on to say that while nothing had been set in stone yet, the festival could be launching as soon as 2027. However, the event would now be centering on multiple different music genres, rather than just rock and metal. Ozzy and Sharon began the hard rock and metal festival 30 years ago, with its inaugural edition taking place in Oct. 1996 and spanning two days. The following year it expanded into a full-blown tour rather than a one-time event, and then continued annually almost every year up until 2018 (although it reverted to a single-day event from 2008). - NME, 1/29/26...... 
Leo Sayer has announced plans for what will be his final full UK tour, confirming a major 23-date run for autumn 2026. The 
Legendary Jamaican musician Lowell "Sly" Dunbar, one-half of the prolific reggae songwriting/producing duo Sly & Robbie, reportedly died at his home in Kingston, Jamaica on Jan. 26. He was 73. Working with longtime partner bassist Robbie Shakespeare (who died in 2021), Dunbar was one half of the dynamic duo that provided the thrumming backbeat to reggae classics from the likes of Black Uhuru, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs and countless others. Born Lowell Fillmore Dunbar on May 10, 1952 in Kingston, Jamaica, Dunbar got his start playing in a group called the Yardbrooms at age 15, before moving on to the group Skin Flesh and Bones and his first recording session with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters' on the 1969 single "Night Doctor." That same year he also played on Dave and Ansel Collins' Double Barrel album, with the title track hitting the top of the U.K. singles chart. His life and career would change forever when he met Shakespeare in 1972, with the pair who shared similar musical sensibilities ranging from homegrown Jamaican riddims to Motown and soul music developing a close relationship with Tosh, with whom they recorded five albums. Sly and Robbie appeared on late great Tosh's beloved 1977 LP Equal Rights, as well as 1978's Bush Doctor and 1983's Mama Africa, which became Tosh's highest-charting album in the U.S. when it hit No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart. The hard-working pair -- who are believed to have appeared on more than 200,000 tracks, including remixes and songs that sampled their work -- also had a long and fruitful working relationship with rock icon Dennis Brown, performing on more than a dozen albums by the "Money In My Pocket" singer and serving time in the Revolutionaries, the house band at Jamaica's legendary Channel One studio. Known as the Riddim Twins, the duo developed a number of signature grooves over their four-plus decade career, including the "rockers" rhythm, which helped them inject some energy into the popular 1970s and 80s "one drop" reggae rhythm. Working with Shakespeare, Dunbar carved a wide path through music, performing on a trio of Bob Dylan albums in the 1980s, as well as playing on albums by Joan Armatrading, Jackson Browne, The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Grace Jones, Yoko Ono, Sinead O'Connor and Carly Simon, among many others. "As one half of Sly & Robbie, Sly helped shape the sound of reggae and Jamaican music for generations," read a statement from his family posted on TMZ.com. "His extraordinary talent, innovation, and lasting contributions will never be forgotten. Sly's music, spirit, and legacy touched people around the world, and we are deeply grateful for the love and support during this difficult time." - Billboard, 1/26/26.