Classic Rock News

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic tune “Free Bird” is featured in Budweiser’s latest Super Bowl ad.

The company revealed the new ad, featuring a Clydesdale and a bald eagle, on Good Morning America on Monday.

The 60-second spot opens with a classic baby Clydesdale horse, which has been showcased in several Budweiser ads, running through an open farm before approaching a nest where a baby bird appears to have hatched recently.

As “Free Bird” plays in the background, the ad shows the horse and bird developing an endearing relationship as the horse protects the bird from rainfall, and the bird uses the horse’s back as a launching pad for a failed flight attempt.

As time passes, the horse grows in size as it hurdles through the air, and the bird is revealed to be a large, sprawling bald eagle with its wings spread open behind the horse as the bird takes flight.

“You crying?” asks a farmer watching the scene unfold to another farmer.

“Sun’s in my eyes,” he responds.

“As we celebrate Budweiser’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th birthday, we knew we had to rise to the occasion in a way only Budweiser can. ‘American Icons’ brings our heritage to life through powerful storytelling with the Budweiser Clydesdales and an American Bald Eagle,” Todd Allen, the senior vice president of marketing for Budweiser at Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement included in a release.

“This year’s spot will leave fans awestruck and proud to enjoy a Budweiser as they celebrate our shared milestone moments,” the statement continued.

Super Bowl LX will kick off on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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A new Foo Fighters album is officially on the way.

Dave Grohl revealed the news during the band’s show in Tasmania on Saturday.

“We might have a whole new record of f****** songs that we just finished the other day,” Grohl told the cheering crowd.

The most recent Foo Fighters album is 2023’s But Here We Are. Since then, they’ve released two new songs, “Asking for a Friend” and “Today’s Song.”

The upcoming Foos album will be their first since new drummer Ilan Rubin, formerly of Nine Inch Nails, joined the band in 2025. Rubin replaced Josh Freese, who was released from the Foos in 2025 after joining in 2023 in place of the late Taylor Hawkins.

Also during Saturday’s show, Grohl reunited with Brant Webb, a miner who got stuck in the 2006 mine collapse in the Tasmanian town of Beaconsfield. While trapped, Webb and his fellow survivor requested an iPod loaded with Foo Fighters music to listen to while waiting to be rescued. Webb’s story made its way to Grohl and was immortalized in the 2007 Foo Fighters song “Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners.”

Foo Fighters’ next scheduled tour date is at the Welcome to Rockville festival in May. They’ll launch a full U.S. stadium tour in August.

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On This Day, Jan. 26, 2018…

Fleetwood Mac was honored as the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Person of the Year, becoming the first band to ever receive the honor.

The pre-Grammy event was held at Radio Music Hall in New York City and featured performances by Harry Styles, Lorde, Brandi Carlile, Haim, Miley Cyrus, Imagine Dragons and others.

Fleetwood Mac also performed at the gala, treating the audience to “The Chain” featuring Styles, “Little Lies,” “Tusk,” “Gold Dust Woman” and “Go Your Own Way.”

The band’s performance turned out to be Lindsey Buckingham’s last with the group. After a disagreement with Stevie Nicks at the event, she was fired from the band and replaced during their tour later that year by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell and Crowded House’s Neil Finn.

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Kansas co-founder and drummer Phil Ehart is ready to tell his story. The rocker is set to release the memoir, I Am Phil, in April.

According to the book’s description, it “captures the humor, heart, and humanity of a man who has spent over five decades keeping time for one of America’s most beloved rock acts.” It will follow Ehart from his early life, through his career with the hit rock band, known for such songs as “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.”

“It’s the story of resilience, faith, and family,” the description continues. “It’s about the grit it takes to hold a band together for fifty years — and the grace it takes to hold yourself together when the spotlight fades and your world comes crashing in around you.”

I Am Phil, available for preorder now, will be released in a variety of formats including a standard edition, a limited autographed edition and a limited personally autographed drum roll edition, which will be made out directly to the purchaser.

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The Beatles have lost one of their long-standing U.K chart records.

The legendary band’s record as the artist with the most U.K. #1 albums, has just been snatched by pop star Robbie Williams, whose recent album Britpop has topped the U.K. Official Chart this week, making it his 16th U.K. #1.

The two artists have been tied for the record since Williams’ Better Man soundtrack went to #1 last January.

According to Billboard, The Beatles had held the record for the most #1s since the 1967 release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band topped the chart. At the time it was their eighth #1 album, which pushed them past Elvis Presley, the previous record holder.

Overall, The Beatles have had 15 #1s on the U.K. chart, their first being their 1963 debut Please Please Me and their last being the compilation album 1, which was released in 2000. In the U.S., The Beatles hold the record for the most #1 albums with 19.

But while they may have lost one U.K. record to Williams, they have far surpassed him when it comes to another U.K. chart record. They currently hold the record for the act with the most weeks at #1 on the U.K. chart, with 176. Williams has only spent a total of 38 weeks at the top.

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After releasing some singles on her own, Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet Grohl has landed herself a record deal.

The 19-year-old has just signed with Republic Records through her own imprint, Auroura Records, and will be working on her first album.

“From the moment we met Violet, it was clear that she represents the next generation of artists,” Kristina Grossmann, senior vice president of A&R/Operations at Republic Records, says. “The music is immediate, intentional and her voice holds a rare duality. She is unapologetically cool and is a fearless female voice. We couldn’t be more excited to help bring her vision and this album to life.”

“Violet brings a rare combination of perspective, artistry, and reverence for the craft,” David Wolter, executive vice president/head of A&R at Republic Records, adds. “She understands the history of music, but she’s also pushing it forward. She is the future.”

Violet has already given fans a taste of her music with the release of singles “THUM” and “Applefish.” She also released the track “What’s Heaven Without You” on Tuesday, as a tribute to the late director David Lynch on what would have been his 80th birthday.

Violet has performed with her father several times, including alongside the reunited Nirvana at the 2025 FireAid benefit concert.

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Metallica fans can now represent their band on their feet.

The band has teamed with British boot maker Dr. Martens for a new footwear collection. There are three options, with two of them paying homage to their 1980s tours.

The collaboration will consist of the 1460 Metallica Boot, featuring graphics from the band’s 1988 Damaged Justice world tour, and the 1461 Metallica Shoe, featuring images from their 1986 Damaged Inc tour. Images on both options were originally created by the artist Pushead. Both feature a Metallica “M” heel stud, along with special-edition dog tags, and a secondary set of laces that read, “Boredom comes from a boring mind.”

There will also be a Metallica exclusive 1460 Boot inspired by their 1991 self-titled release, often referred to as The Black Album. As the title suggests, the boot will be all black. It will feature the band’s logo embossed on the ankle, with the heel marked with “5th Member” as a reference to the band’s fans. The boot will also include an “M” heel stud and dog tags, but its secondary set of laces will be marked with “5th Member.”

The Dr. Martens x Metallica collection will be available Jan. 29. The 1460 Metallica Boot and 1461 Metallica Shoe will be available at drmartens.com and all Dr. Martens retail stores, while the black-on-black shoe will be exclusive to Metallica.com.

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Rush is giving fans a preview of the upcoming reissue of their 1984 album, Grace Under Pressure. The Canadian rockers just released a performance of “Kid Gloves” from their Sept. 21, 1984, concert at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens.

The full concert is part of the super deluxe edition of Grace Under Pressure, due out March 13. Portions of that show previously appeared on the band’s 1986 Grace Under Pressure Tour home video and CD. The new release will feature the concert, now called Grace Under Pressure Tour: Live in Toronto 1984, on CD and Blu-ray, and will include 37 minutes of previously unreleased footage.

In addition to the concert, the set includes a newly remastered version of the original album and a new stereo mix taken from the original analog recordings. The Blu-ray also includes new mixes of the album, including a Dolby Atmos mix. It features remastered videos for songs like “Distant Early Warning,” “Afterimage,” “The Enemy Within” and “The Body Electric.”

Grace Under Pressure: Super Deluxe Edition will be released as a limited-edition four-CD + Blu-ray set with a 52-page hardcover book. It will also be available digitally and as a five-LP + Blu-ray set. The original eight-track album will be released digitally on Dolby Atmos, and a remastered Grace Under Pressure Tour: Live in Toronto 1984 video will be released to digital outlets.

All formats are available for preorder now.

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Francis Buchholz, bassist for German rockers Scorpions during their most successful years as a band, has died at the age of 71. His death was announced by his family in a Facebook post.

“It is with overwhelming sadness and heavy hearts we share the news that our beloved Francis passed away yesterday after a private battle with cancer,” the post read. “He departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love.”

“To his fans around the world – we want to thank you for your unwavering loyalty, your love, and the belief you placed in him throughout his incredible journey,” they added. “You gave him the world, and he gave you his music in return. Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched.”

Upon hearing the news of Buchholz’s death, Scorpions members  Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine and Matthias Jab paid tribute to their former bandmate on Instagram. 

“we have just received the very sad news that our longtime friend and bass player, Francis Buchholz, has passed away,” read the post. “His legacy with the band will live on forever, and we will always remember the many good times we have shared together.”

Buchholz was a member of Scorpions from 1973 to 1992. He appeared on 12 of their albums, starting with 1974’s Fly to the Rainbow. He played bass on the band’s biggest hits, including 1984’s “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and their iconic tune “Wind of Change,” from 1991’s Crazy World, Buchholz’s last album with the band. Crazy World also features the song “Kicks After Six,” which is the only track where Buchholz was credited as a writer.

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Supertramp is celebrating their 50th anniversary by reissuing some of their classic albums.

The latest releases include 1977’s Even in the Quietest Moments…, their 1979 megahit Breakfast in America and 1982’s …Famous Last Words….

All three albums have been remastered at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios and will be released on vinyl on March 20. They are available for preorder now.

Even in the Quietest Moments…, Supertramp’s fifth studio album, was a top-20 hit for the band and featured the Hot 100 hit “Give a Little Bit.” But it was Breakfast in America that was their breakout album, hitting #1 on the Billboard chart and selling over 22 million records worldwide, thanks to such hit songs as “The Logical Song,” “Goodbye Stranger” and “Take the Long Way Home.”

Finally, …Famous Last Words… was a top-five hit for the band. It was also the last Supertramp album to feature the classic lineup of Roger Hodgson, Rick Davies, Dougie Thomson, John Helliwell and Bob Seibenberg.

The new releases are the latest additions to Supertramp’s 50th anniversary reissue series, which launched in August with the announcement of half-speed remasters of 1974’s Crime of the Century and 1975’s Crisis? What Crisis?

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