The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, KISS’ Gene Simmons and ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons are among the artists contributing to the upcoming new album by soul legends The Stylistics.
The album, Falling In Love With My Girl, will be released Feb. 21 and will mark the band’s first new album since 2008’s That Same Way. The new record has the group — original members Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, along with Jason Sharp,who joined the group in 2011 — collaborating with a whole host of artists.
Other guests on the record include Toto’s Steve Lukather, Ray Parker Jr., TheElton John Band, Chicago’s Bill Champlin and The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins.
The first single from the record, “Yes I Will” featuring Shania Twain, is set to drop on Feb. 14.
Never Too Late, the new documentary that captures Elton John‘s life and career, debuts on Disney+ on Dec. 13. If you want to prepare by taking a spin through his more than 30 albums, Rolling Stonehas thoughtfully narrowed down his discography to the “50 Best Elton John Songs.”
Coming in at #1 is the song that gave Elton one of his nicknames: “Rocket Man.” In his autobiography, Me, Elton recalls crafting that song, plus two others from the Honky Château album, one day over breakfast after Bernie Taupin left him the lyrics on the piano. Rolling Stone points out the song has been covered by everyone from Neil Diamond to Kate Bush to William Shatner. It was also one of the Elton songs interpolated in his Dua Lipa duet, “Cold Heart.”
Number 2 on the list is “Tiny Dancer” — Elton credits the film Almost Famous for making that song popular. He wrote in his book, “People forget that when it came out as a single in 1971, it flopped.”
“Levon” is #3, followed by “Daniel” at #4. The latter has been described by Taupin as “the most misinterpreted song that we’ve ever written.” It’s actually about a blind war veteran, written from the point of view of the veteran’s little brother, but Elton wrote that many people felt it was “a coded description of a gay relationship” — which it wasn’t.
#5 is the enduring “Your Song,” which Elton says Bernie “wrote over breakfast one morning,” and for which he wrote the music in “15 minutes flat.”
The rest of the top 10: 6. “Funeral for a Friend”/”Love Lies Bleeding” 7. “Candle in the Wind” [the original 1973 version] 8. “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” 9. “Madman Across the Water” 10. “The Bitch Is Back”
Nirvana‘s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has been certified Diamond by the RIAA.
The generation-defining hit officially passed the milestone, which recognizes 10 million certified units, on Dec. 6.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the lead single off Nirvana’s breakout album, Nevermind, which was certified Diamond in 1999. Nevermind currently sits at 13-times Platinum.
A number of other Nirvana releases have also earned new RIAA certification, including “Something in the Way,” which is now officially Platinum following its 2022 resurgence driven by The Batman movie.
U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has just released two new songs, both of which were written for the new documentary Left Behind, which is getting a theatrical release in January.
The songs, “Between The Lines” featuring GAYLE and “One of Us” featuring Welsh singer Donna Lewis, are now available via digital outlets.
Both tunes were co-written by Mullen, who is also a producer on Left Behind. The film tells the story of the New York City mothers who fought to open the city’s first public school for dyslexic children. The school, the South Bronx Literacy Academy, opened in September 2023.
Mullen and GAYLE, who teamed to co-write “Between The Lines,” both have a personal connection to the subject matter, as GAYLE and Mullen’s son both have dyslexia.
Left Behind is set to open Jan. 17 for a weeklong engagement at New York City’s QUAD Cinema. It will then expand to select theaters nationwide.
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are the latest act heading to Las Vegas.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are set to headline five dates at the House of Blues Las Vegas in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The shows are happening June 13, 14, 18, 20 and 21.
A Joan Jett fan club presale will launch Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. PT.
The Vegas shows are the first dates Joan Jett & the Blackhearts have announced for 2025. The last time they played Vegas was in September 2022, opening for Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe at Allegiant Stadium.
Elvis Costello will be highlighting his early catalog on a new tour.
The rocker just announced dates for the new Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello tour, which will have him performing songs from 1977’s My Aim is True to 1986’s Blood & Chocolate, plus “other surprises.”
The tour is set to kick off June 12 in Seattle and wrap July 12 in Miami Beach.
“For any songwriter, it has to be a compliment if people want to hear songs written up to fifty years ago,” Elvis shares. “You can expect the unexpected and the faithful in equal measure.”
For the tour, Costello will be backed by The Imposters, made up of Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas and Davey Faragher, with the addition of guitarist Charlie Sexton.
An artist presale kicks off Wednesday at 10 a.m., with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m.
Before the Radio Soul! tour, Elvis and Nieve will hit the road on a separate trek that kicks off Feb. 19 in Easton, Pennsylvania. A complete list of all of Elvis’ dates can be found at elviscostello.com.
Santana is returning to the road, announcing a 2025 leg of his Oneness tour.
The trek is set to kick off April 16 in Highland, California, with dates in Phoenix, Albuquerque, Tulsa and more before wrapping in the U.S. on April 29 in Nashville. He’ll then bring the tour to Europe, starting June 9 in Lodz, Poland, and wrapping Aug. 11 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A fan club presale begins Wednesday, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at Santana.com.
Santana is set to take the stage again on Jan. 22 for the first show in his 2025 residency at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. He has Vegas dates booked through Feb. 2.
A new documentary about Phil Collins is set to debut on the online platform Drumeo, and now fans are getting their first look at it.
A trailer for Phil Collins: Drummer First has just been released and features clips of Collins being interviewed by his son Nic Collins.
“I’m not a singer who plays the drums,” the Genesis frontman says in the clip. “I’m more of a drummer who sings a bit.”
There are also testimonials about Collins’ drumming talent from such famous drummers as Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith, Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy and more.
“Phil Collins, his drumming has such a unique sound and style that you know immediately when you hear it, that’s that guy,” Smith shares. Portnoy adds, “He’s really criminally underrated as a prog icon.”
The trailer also includes a clip of Collins behind a drum kit for the first time in years, although he’s not seen playing.
“If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks then I will have a crack at it,” he says. “I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles.”
Collins revealed in 2021 that due to health problems, he could “barely hold a stick.” During Genesis’ The Last Domino tour, Collins’ son Nic played drums for the band.
Phil Collins: Drummer First debuts Dec. 18 on Drumeo.
The surviving members of Led Zeppelin – Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones – reunited for their first concert together in 19 years at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at London’s O2 Arena. They were backed by Jason Bonham, son of their late drummer, John Bonnham.
The band headlined the show with a 16-song set that included such songs as “Ramble On,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “The Song Remains The Same,” “Kashmir,” “Whole Lotta Love” and “Rock and Roll.”
Celebration Day, a concert film documenting the performance, was released in October 2012, with highlights airing on the BBC that December.
Eighties staples Toto, Christoper Cross and Men At Work are set to hit the road together this summer.
The three acts have announced a set of North American tour dates, kicking off July 18 in Palm Beach, Florida, hitting such cities as Tampa, Boston, Nashville and Las Vegas before wrapping Aug. 30 in Ridgefield, Washington.
“I am thrilled about this tour … This is a tour that musically works, and brings a fresh new summer tour package to the circuit,” Toto’s Steve Lukather shares. “I could not be more thrilled an idea that germinated months ago was able to take flight and become a reality.”
Men at Work’s Colin Hay adds, “The mix of Christopher, Steve with Toto, and Men At Work rings true to me. I think it will make for an exciting night of music for old and new fans alike. Let’s go!!”
Finally, Cross shares, “I’m honored to be sharing the stage during the summer of 2025 with my dear friends Toto and Men At Work.”
A Citi presale for all shows kicks off Wednesday at 10 a.m, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at totoofficial.com.
