Classic Rock 93.9

Bon Jovi’s hit single “Livin’ on a Prayer” has just reached a new milestone.

The track, from the band’s #1 album Slippery When Wet, has just passed 2 billion streams on Spotify.

The band reacted to the news on Instagram, sharing a message to fans that read, “Your continued support and love for our music means the world. Thank you!”

“Livin’ on a Prayer” is the first Bon Jovi song to reach 2 billion streams, although two others have made it to Spotify’s Billions Club with 1 billion streams: “You Give Love a Bad Name,” also from 1986’s Slippery When Wet, and “It’s My Life,” from 2000’s Crush.

Released in October 1986, “Livin’ on a Prayer” was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child and became Bon Jovi’s second single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, following “You Give Love a Bad Name.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A unique concert from Peter Gabriel is coming to Blu-ray this fall.

Taking the Pulse is a recording of a Sept. 26, 2010, concert under the stars at Arena di Verona in Italy. It was part of Gabriel’s New Blood tour, which ran from March 2010 to July 2012.

For the concert, the former Genesis frontman was backed by 50 musicians from the New Blood Orchestra, conducted by Ben Foster. Gabriel’s daughter Melanie Gabriel joined him for the performance, while his daughter Anna Gabriel directed the film.

The concert features new arrangements of Gabriel classics by John Metcalf, with the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer backed only by the orchestra — no other drums or guitars were used.

Among the songs featured in the concert are “Digging in the Dirt,” “Red Rain,” “In Your Eyes,” “Solsbury Hill” and “Don’t Give Up.”

And fans are getting a preview of the concert with the release of a performance video for “Downside Up,” a track from Gabriel’s 2011 album, New Blood.

Taking the Pulse will be released Oct. 10 and is available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sammy Hagar has responded to David Lee Roth’s recent story in which he claimed that like Sammy, he was visited in a dream by the ghost of their former Van Halen bandmate Eddie Van Halen.

Roth’s comments came during a concert in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. He seemed to be mocking Hagar’s clam that his recent single, “Encore, Thank You, Good Night,” was inspired by a dream he had in which he was visited by Eddie’s ghost.

Roth first complimented Hagar, calling him “one of my esteemed colleagues” with a “great voice.” He then told his audience he too had been visited by Eddie’s ghost, who told him that Hagar’s tune was actually Iron Butterfly’s hit “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” backward.

And while many online have interpreted Roth’s comments as making fun of Hagar, that’s not how Hagar sees it.

After the Instagram account Metal Addicts shared a screenshot of their story with the headline “David Lee Roth takes a jab at Sammy Hagar over Eddie Van Halen’s ‘ghost’ story,” Hagar felt the need to respond.

“I can’t believe social media is trying to make something out of this,” Hagar wrote. “This is the first compliment and [real olive branch] moment dave and I have had in 100 years. Listen closely and you will see that this is not negative whatsoever.”

He added, “And I believe dave had the dream as well. Dave’s a good storyteller, but there’s some truth in between the showmanship. all good with me keep it up Dave these songs we both wrote with Eddie need to be carried on forever.”

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

A second track has been released from the upcoming Bad Company tribute album, Can’t Get Enough: The Music of Bad Company, dropping Oct. 24.

The latest is Blackberry Smoke‘s cover of “Run With the Pack,” the title track off Bad Company’s third studio album, released in 1976.

“Blackberry Smoke absolutely channeled the essence of the song and everyone delivered from their souls,”
says Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers, who sings background vocals on the track. “I love every aspect of their performance harmonies, guitars and delivery!”

“Run With the Pack,” which also features Mastodon’s Brann Dailor on percussion and backing vocals, is now available via digital outlets. A live studio session video is also available on YouTube.

Can’t Get Enough: The Music of Bad Company will have artists covering the group’s biggest hits, including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Bad Company” and “Shooting Star,” along with a cover of Free’s top-five hit “All Right Now.”

Other artists contributing to the record include Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, The Pretty Reckless, HARDY,  Halestorm and The Struts.

Can’t Get Enough: The Music of Bad Company will be released on CD, digitally and on limited-edition silver colored vinyl. All formats are available for preorder now.

The album’s release comes ahead of the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will stream live on Disney+, and a highlights special will air on ABC at a later date.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, Aug. 20, 1973…

The Rolling Stones released the new tune “Angie,” the lead off single to their 11th studio album Goats Head Soup.

There’s been a lot of speculation as to the inspiration behind the track, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, with some suggesting it was about David Bowie’s first wife Angie Bowie or actress Angie Dickinson.

Other speculation suggested it was written about Richards’ daughter, Dandelion Angela Richards, and in liner notes to 1993’s greatest hits compilation, Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones, Richards seemed to confirm that.  But Richards changed his tune in his 2010 memoir Life, writing that the song title was chosen before he knew his daughter’s name would be Angela.

“Angie” went on to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the chart in several other countries, although it peaked at #5 in the U.K.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Monday will mark the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s blockbuster album Born To Run, and to mark the occasion a new lithograph poster has been released to raise money for charity.

The poster was created by photographer Eric Meola, who shot the original Born To Run cover, along with art director Dave Bett. It features a photo of Springsteen from the album’s cover shoot, holding up the collar of his leather jacket with his guitar slung across his shoulder.

Proceeds from the sale are going to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, an organization Bruce has supported for years. The organization is also reaching a milestone: 50 years of providing food and help to the community.

“You know, I like to believe that it’s a magical thing that it’s the 50th anniversary for the FoodBank as well as for Born to Run,” Meola says. “There’s something symbiotic going on there — it’s just magical.”

He adds, “It was only natural that when I saw Bruce donating to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, I said to myself, ‘What an incredible thing. I’ve got this treasure trove of photographs that are some of the most sought-after photographs of Bruce, and what a great way to make money for the food bank.'”

A limited number of hand-numbered posters are now available, with a limit of two per person.

Released Aug. 25, 1975, Born To Run was Springsteen’s third album and helped him garner mainstream success. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts and went on to become a massive hit for The Boss, thanks to songs like the title track, “Thunder Road” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.”

It was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2015.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson was laid to rest in early August, and, according to Rolling Stone, his bandmates Al Jardine and Mike Love gave speeches at a gathering after the funeral. But according to Jardine, Love’s speech didn’t really focus on Wilson.

“Mike wanted everybody to know that he wrote every single word of ‘Good Vibrations,'” Jardine told the mag in an interview that took place eight days after the funeral. “I didn’t feel the compassion, let’s put it that way. Mike’s got some serious megalomania problems.”

Jardine added, “I was focusing on Brian, and Mike was more focused on Mike. I think that is what it boiled down to.”

But a rep for Love denies Jardine’s account of what happened.

“That’s not true,” the rep told the mag. “Mike’s focus has always been on uplifting audiences around the world through the music he helped create with his bandmates and cousin Brian.”

“His commitment has been to preserve and share this great American songbook while providing resources to fellow Beach Boys shareholders, including Al Jardine,” the statement continued. “In addition, Mike and The Beach Boys have dedicated significant time and support to nonprofit organizations using their platform to give back to communities in need.”

Wilson passed away in June at the age of 82. His daughter Carnie Wilson revealed that he was laid to rest on Aug. 6.

Jardine is currently on tour with the Pet Sounds Band, made up of members of Wilson’s band. The tour hits Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Friday. A complete list of dates can be found at AlJardine.com.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is engaged to be married.

The news was revealed in a story in The Times, which notes that Byrne “lives in New York with his fiancée, the businesswoman and artist Mala Gaonkar.”

In the article, Byrne also refers to Gaonkar as his “fiancée” when talking about the inspiration behind the song “Moisturizing Thing” on his upcoming album, Who Is the Sky?, dropping Sept. 5.

“My fiancée will sometimes come at me with greasy hands, ready to smear my face. And at one point I thought, ‘What if I wake up and really looked younger?'” he says. “But there’s a message, too. About how people judge us by the way we look. You learn a lesson you didn’t expect at the start.”

This will be the second marriage for Byrne. He was previously married to costume designer Adelle Lutz from 1987 to 2004. They had one child together, daughter Malu Abeni Valentine Byrne, who was born in 1989.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Cheap Trick has announced a new set of fall tour dates.

The latest additions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ schedule start Oct. 12 in Oxford, Alabama, with the band playing shows in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona, California, and more before wrapping their tour on Dec. 7 in Waukee, Iowa.

A ticket presale begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Cheap Trick’s next show is on Wednesday in Rhinebeck, New York. They are also set to open several dates for Heart in November and December. A complete schedule can be found at CheapTrick.com.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey kicked off The Who’s The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour Saturday, and it sounds like Pete is a bit ambivalent about being on the road.

“It can be lonely. I’ve thought, ‘Well, this is my job, I’m happy to have the work, but I prefer to be doing something else,'” he says in a new interview with AARP magazine. “Then, I think, ‘Well, I’m 80 years old. Why shouldn’t I revel in it? Why shouldn’t I celebrate?'”

Discussing the band’s decision to continue following the death of members Keith Moon and John Entwistle, Townshend notes that The Who is “a brand rather than a band.” He adds, “Roger and I have a duty to the music and the history.”

“The Who [still] sells records —the Moon and Entwistle families have become millionaires,” he says. “There’s also something more, really: the art, the creative work is when we perform it. We’re celebrating. We’re a Who tribute band.”

And while The Who has said this will be their final tour, it may not necessarily be the last we see of them.

“We reserve the right to pop up again,” Pete says, “but I think one thing is very clear: that at our age, we will not.”

He adds, “Roger and I certainly [will] work together for charity and possibly for special projects. Together we represent all aspects of The Who legacy.”

He notes, “[W]e’ll continue to work together, even if we rarely socialize.”

The Who’s The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour hits Newark, New Jersey, on Tuesday. A complete list of dates can be found at TheWho.com.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.