Classic Rock
Judas Priest Celebrate 50 Million Album Sales Worldwide
For more than 50 years, Judas Priest have helped carry the torch for heavy metal music. Now, the band is celebrating not only a half century in music but also 50 million album sales worldwide. Frontman Rob Halford and company were recently presented with a special plaque commemorating 50 years in music and more than 50 million albums sold. The band was given the honor the evening before its induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles last month. In the photo above, Priest — Halford, bassist Ian Hill, drummer Scott Travis, and guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner — are shown receiving the plaque from Jo Kalli of Sony Music UK, Scott Carter of Sony Music US, manager Jayne Andrews, and Michael Closter and Scott Rubin of Reach Music Publishing. Advertisement Rel...
Harry Styles Honors Late Christine McVie with “Songbird” Cover in Chile: Watch
It’s no secret that the music and culture of the ’70s are big inspirations for Harry Styles. Naturally, the pop star paid tribute to Christine McVie, who died earlier this week at 79, with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” at his show in Santiago, Chile last night. “Songbird” was one of the songs written and sung solely by McVie on Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 masterpiece Rumours. Styles doesn’t often play instruments during his shows, but he stayed faithful to the original recording by playing acoustic guitar, backed by a piano. The vocal melodies are also higher than Styles tends to go for in his own songs, but he manages to pull it off exceptionally well. After the song finished, he blew a kiss towards the sky, and from what we’ve seen in clips from the performance, there weren’t many dry e...
Elton John to Headline Glastonbury in 2023
With Elton John slated to wrap up his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour next summer, the Rocket Man has been announced as the headliner for Glastonbury 2023. It will mark his last ever UK show and second time appearing at the festival. John will close out Glastonbury with his performance at the Pyramid Stage on Sunday, June 25th. “As the end of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour comes into view, there is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans,” John said in a statement. “They have been beyond brilliant, and have supported me through all the highs and lows of my career… I can’t wait to embrace the spirit of the greatest festival in the world.” In late November, John played his final North American live concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. During the show, which...
Neil Young Releases Harvest 50th Anniversary Deluxe Reissue: Stream
Neil Young has released the 50th anniversary deluxe reissue of his fourth solo album, Harvest, via Reprise Records. Stream it below via Apple Music. The 3xLP or 3xCD boxset features the Canadian-American singer-songwriter’s signature 1972 album along with three studio outtakes; a previously unreleased BBC performance from February 23rd, 1971; and a documentary called Harvest Time, which compiles two hours of behind-the-scenes material filmed in 1971 between Young’s “Harvest Barn” recording sessions in Northern California and later trips to Nashville and London. He previewed the collection by releasing the archival live rendition of “Heart of Gold” in October and the rare studio cut “Journey Through the Past” in November. Harvest stands as a high point in Young’s solo career, both creativel...
Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood Pen Tributes to Christine McVie: “See You On the Other Side”
Musicians and fans are mourning Christine McVie, the legendary vocalist and “songbird” of Fleetwood Mac, who died November 30th at the age of 79. McVie, who joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971, “passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness. She was in the company of her family,” read a statement. “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie,” Fleetwood Mac added in a separate statement. “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we h...
Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird,” Dead at 79
Christine McVie, the legendary vocalist and songwriter who lifted Fleetwood Mac with clear-eyed optimism, has died at the age of 79. McVie “passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness. She was in the company of her family,” according to a statement. “We kindly ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this extremely painful time, and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally.” “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie,” Fleetwood Mac added in a separate statement. “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have ...
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard Announce 2023 Atlantic City Shows
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard will warm up for their 2023 world tour with a pair of February gigs in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The concerts will take place at the 7,000-capacity Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, a relatively intimate venue compared to the massive outdoor stadiums the two veteran rock acts played this past summer. The shows are booked for February 10th and 11th, one week before the two bands kick off the previously announced international run of their co-headlining tour. Tickets for the Atlantic City concerts go on sale to the general public this Friday (December 2nd) at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster, with a Citi pre-sales having already begun and a Live Nation pre-sale beginning Thursday at 10 a.m. ET using the code HEADLINE. The international tour will kick off with a Latin Ame...
Zayn Covers Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel” for the Guitar Legend’s 80th Birthday: Stream
Zayn spent the better part of his early singing career being labeled the bad boy of One Direction, and today he’s nodding to an actual rebel in the music world by sharing his cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel.” The tribute comes in celebration of what would’ve been the legend’s 80th birthday. “Angel” appeared on Hendrix’s first posthumous album The Cry of Love in 1971. Zayn’s version keeps the original’s instrumentals with his vocals swapped in: “Being asked to collaborate to celebrate @jimihendrix 80th birthday was such an unexpected and huge honour,” the pop star wrote on Twitter. “I have so much respect and admiration for Jimi, his music and fans. ‘Angel’ is out now – hope you love the track as much as I do. Happy 80th Jimi.” Hendrix’s estate gave their blessing, as well: “We are plea...
Win Tickets to The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer in New York City + Signed Box Set
It’s been six years since the passing of both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, but the prog-rock greats live on in spirit. Now, surviving ELP member Carl Palmer is reuniting with his late bandmates on stage, thanks to the all new live show “Welcome Back My Friends: The Return of Emerson Lake & Palmer Tour” (get tickets here). “The Return of Emerson Lake & Palmer” show finds Palmer playing live in front of huge video walls displaying rare footage of Emerson and Lake. The video was captured during two 1992 performances at London’s iconic The Royal Albert Hall, shows which were turned into a live album and now a unique concert experience. Palmer calls the “Welcome Back My Friends” show “a real multi-media experience,” one in which Emerson and Lake are honored in the live footage, addition...
Simon & Schuster Apologizes for “Penned Replicas” of Bob Dylan’s Autograph in Copies of His New Book
Simon & Schuster, the publishing giant and home to Bob Dylan’s new book of essays The Philosophy of Modern Song, is issuing refunds for the limited autographed edition because, as it turns out, Dylan technically didn’t autograph them. Some very, very dedicated Dylan fans caught on to the fabrication as readers began comparing their signatures to one another online. Ultimately, as they deduced, the book’s $600 price tag merely got them a “penned replica” of the musician’s John Hancock produced by an autopen machine. “To those who purchased The Philosophy of Modern Song limited edition, we want to apologize,” Simon & Schuster wrote on social media. “As it turns out, the limited edition books do contain Bob’s original signature, but in a penned replica form. We are addressin...
Nikki Sixx Dares To Insult “Whining” Taylor Swift, Gets Called Out by Fans
Oh no, he didn’t! Nikki Sixx dared to insult the mighty Taylor Swift, and he has been met with a swift response from fans. Over the weekend, the Mötley Crüe bassist tweeted, “Is it just me or does Taylor Swift always seems [sic] likes she’s whining about something new every-time she’s gonna drop an album? #WorIsMeMarketing [sic].” (He likely meant @WoeIsMeMarketing as the hashtag.) It would appear that Sixx is referencing the big fuss over the Ticketmaster debacle that left millions of Swifties spending hours online, only to find themselves without tickets to her upcoming 2023 tour. In a statement, Swift wrote, “It’s truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them.” Ticketmaster l...
With His Final Dodger Stadium Show, Elton John Wrote His Own Happy Ending: Review
Something I never expected to see in Dodger Stadium during Elton John’s last live concert in North America — a peek at his belly. But due to the poor fit of the icon’s first wardrobe choice (a sequined tuxedo jacket with tails, and pants that needed adjusting every time he stood up to acknowledge the crowd), at a certain point a bit of pink skin became visible through a gap in his button-down shirt. This tiny wardrobe malfunction was the only notable misstep during an intense marathon of music seeped in legacy, and it proved to be charming, in a way — a moment of human fallibility that felt all too relatable. Especially because this semi-final stop on the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour” was otherwise transcendent, an invitation into the passion Elton John has for his work...
