Grammys 2026: Bruce Springsteen & Joni Mitchell box sets win Grammy awards

February 1, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Box sets from Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen took home trophies at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Mitchell was the winner for best historical album for her box set Joni Mitchell Archives – Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980), her 11th career Grammy win. As for Springsteen, although he did not win an award, the art directors behind his box set Tracks II: The Lost Albums won best recording package.

And while Springsteen was not at the ceremony, he did help the Grammys pay tribute to The Beach Boys‘ Brian Wilson, who passed away in June at age 82.

“Brian Wilson was the kind of shining musical genius who made generations of songwriters so much better. I know this because i’m one of them,” Springsteen said in a voice-over that accompanied a video tribute to Wilson. He added, “Brian, the last of the Wilson brothers, may be gone but he leaves behind so many great songs and good vibrations that will live forever.”

John Mayer voiced a similar tribute to the late Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, who died in January at 77.

“To play music with Bob Weir was to learn from a master. He understood songwriting to its core, having written and performed some of the most enduring music in American history,” Mayer said as photos and video of Weir played on screen. “Bob has left us, but the songs he sang will remain a roadmap for a better, more meaningful life.”

The 2026 Grammy Awards took place Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and aired on CBS. The 2027 Grammy Awards will air on ABC.

Red Hot Chili Peppers share statement on Netflix doc: ‘We had nothing to with it creatively’

January 31, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Red Hot Chili Peppers have released a statement regarding the newly announced Netflix documentary, The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The film, set to premiere on March 20, is said to focus on the early days of the Peppers, and specifically the artistic vision of original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died in 1988. It includes interviews with RHCP frontman Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea, as well as “others close to Slovak,” according to the doc’s description.

In a statement posted to the band’s Instagram, the “Californication” outfit stresses that the film is meant to be focused on Slovak, and it is not a Red Hot Chili Peppers project.

“About a year ago, we were asked to be interviewed for a documentary about Hillel Slovak,” the post reads. “He was a founding member of the group, a great guitarist, and friend. We agreed to be interviewed out of love and respect for Hillel and his memory.”

“However, this documentary is now being advertised as a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary, which it is not,” the statement continues. “We had nothing to do with it creatively. We have yet to make a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary.”

The band concludes, “The central subject of this current Netflix special is Hillel Slovak and we hope it sparks interest in him and his work.”

Foo Fighters perform songs from Mariah Carey’s secret grunge album at MusiCares Person of the Year gala

January 31, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The announcement that Foo Fighters would be performing in tribute to Mariah Carey at the MusiCares Person of the Year gala may have seemed like an odd pairing. Unless, of course, you know about Carey’s secret grunge album.

Back in 1995, an alt-rock record titled Someone’s Ugly Daughter was released by a band called Chick. While nobody knew it at the time, the album featured anonymous contributions by Carey, who later revealed her involvement in the project in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.

During the Person of the Year gala, which took place Friday in Los Angeles and honored Carey’s career achievements and philanthropic work, Foo Fighters finally brought songs from Someone’s Ugly Daughter to the live stage, including the tracks “Hermit” and “Love Is a Scam.”

For their performance, Dave Grohl and company were joined by Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless on lead vocals. You can watch footage from the show via Momsen’s Instagram Stories.

Albums by The Velvet Underground and The Stooges get high fidelity reissue

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Velvet Underground’s Loaded and The Stooges’ Fun House are the latest albums to get a high fidelity audio release.

Both are part of Rhino High Fidelity’s series of limited-edition, high-end vinyl reissues, cut from the original master tapes. Only 5,000 individually numbered copies have been pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and are available now via Rhino.com.

Loaded, released in 1970, was The Velvet Underground’s fourth studio album, and their last with lead singer and primary songwriter Lou Reed. It featured such iconic tunes as “Sweet Jane” and “Rock & Roll.”

Fun House, also released in 1970, was The Stooges’ sophomore record. Although it wasn’t a commercial hit when released, it went on to develop a cult following and has been included on lists of the greatest albums of all time.

“Something about this record that I like is the way it begins with a couple of very short, fully structured numbers, and then slips farther and farther out of control…yet it never loses a structure of its own,” The Stooges’ Iggy Pop writes in new liner notes. “This is not a meat-and-potatoes record. It’s not ‘ten really good songs that the consumer can depend on.’”

Bruce Springsteen performs ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ at Tom Morello’s Minneapolis concert protesting ICE

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Just two days after releasing “Streets of Minneapolis,” Bruce Springsteen performed the protest song live for the first time.

The Boss was a special guest at Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello’s A Concert of Solidarity & Resistance to Defend Minnesota, which took Friday afternoon at the downtown Minneapolis venue First Ave.

Fan-shot footage posted to social media shows The Boss taking the stage to perform “Streets of Minneapolis” before being joined by Morello for an electric “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” during which they traded verses. That version of the song appeared on Springsteen’s 2014 High Hopes.

Springsteen, Morello and the rest of the performers then performed the John Lennon song “Power to the People.”

All proceeds from the concert will benefit the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January.

Lou Gramm to host opening weekend of Foreigner’s orchestral Las Vegas residency

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Foreigner is set to open a new Las Vegas residency in March, and they’ve just announced that the band’s original frontman, Lou Gramm, is joining them for two of the shows.

Foreigner: The Hits Orchestral – Celebrating 50 Years Live in Vegas at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort will consist of five shows running March 6 to 14. Gramm is set to host opening weekend, March 6 and 7.

Gramm, whose new solo album Released drops March 27, will also host a VIP book signing ahead of the shows, open to only 20 guests. It includes a meet and greet and photo op with Gramm, who’ll sign his book Juke Box Hero.

Foreigner: The Hits Orchestral – Celebrating 50 Years Live in Vegas will have the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band performing their biggest hits alongside a 20-piece orchestra, with arrangements written by Juilliard cello virtuoso Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer, who will also conduct.

“It’s a personal thrill for me to be hosting Foreigner’s opening weekend at the wonderful Venetian Resort,” says Gramm. “It’s a true delight to witness Foreigner performing all the hits with Dave Eggar’s amazing orchestra and I am so looking forward to welcoming many concert goers at my book signing event.”

Before Foreigner hits Vegas they’ll be playing a series of unplugged shows in Colorado, starting Feb. 25 in Beaver Creek. A complete list of dates can be found at foreigeronline.com.

Lenny Kravitz unveils intro to NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Basketball’

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Lenny Kravitz has unveiled his intro to NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball programming.

The “Let Love Rule” singer debuted the clip on Instagram Friday. In it, he performs a reworked version of the Elvis Presley track “Little Less Conversation,” with the lyrics adjusted to make reference to basketball and the Sunday night programming. The performance is cut with footage of various NBA highlights.

“I have been a fan of basketball and the NBA since I was a kid,” Kravitz said when his participation in the intro was announced in October. “I am happy to be invited to take part with NBC Sports and the NBA, and I celebrate their support of sports, music, and culture. I am looking forward to this special moment.”

Sunday Night Basketball debuts Feb. 1 on NBC and Peacock.

Kravitz is set to hit Mexico for three shows starting March 6 in Guadalajara. He’ll then head to Europe for a tour that launches June 12 in Florence, Italy. So far he has no U.S. dates on his 2026 schedule. A complete list of shows can be found at LennyKravitz.com.

Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins to guest on new Charlie Puth album

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The Dobbie Brothers’ Michael McDonald and singer Kenny Loggins are set to appear on pop star Charlie Puth’s upcoming album, Whatever’s Clever.

Charlie reveals in an Instagram video that he loves Yacht Rock, the term for smooth-sounding, jazz-inflected, highly polished soft rock hits from the ’70s and early ’80s. As an example, he plays a snippet of the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes,” sung McDonald, and co-written by McDonald and Loggins.

“And I thought to myself, how am I gonna make a new album and not have Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on it?” Charlie says in the video. “The answer is, you can’t. So what did a music lover like myself do? I called up Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins and they came over to my house.”

Charlie details how they all recorded a song together: Kenny played guitar, Michael played keyboards and they both sang on it. “Hearing his voice makes me wanna cry,” Charlie says of Michael’s soulful pipes.

After playing additional elements he recorded for the song — an orchestra, drums and background vocals — Charlie notes, “You put it all together and you have Yacht Rock in 2026 with the guys who invented it.”

Charlie concludes the video by playing a snippet of the unnamed song.

Whatever’s Clever is due March 27.

Cream releases ‘White Room’ video from 2005 Royal Albert Hall reunion

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Cream, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band made up of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce, has released an official video of the 2005 Royal Albert Hall performance of their iconic track “White Room.”

The performance is featured on the newly reissued live album Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005, which captured the band’s four-night reunion at the venue after 37 years apart.

The album is out now on triple blue and green splatter vinyl, and double blue and orange CD.

Released in October 2005, Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005, captures Cream’s first shows together since their farewell concerts at the same venue in November 1968. The band did reunite one other time, in 1993, for their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Mick Mars lawyer responds to Mötley Crüe: ‘Mick will maintain his dignity’

January 30, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Mick Mars‘ lawyer has responded to Mötley Crüe declaring a “decisive victory” in their legal battle with the band’s former guitarist.

In a press release issued Wednesday, Mötley’s lawyer, Sasha Frid, of Miller Barondess, LLP, wrote that an arbitrator’s ruling “rejects every claim Mars made against the band and orders him to pay damages back to the group.”

“Mötley Crüe was fortunate to find an arbitrator who knows so little about the music industry and so little about the law,” says Mars lawyer, Ed McPherson. “He ruled that there was no difference between [vocalist] Vince [Neil] and [drummer] Tommy [Lee] quitting the band for a short time in the [’90s], and Mick spending his entire life in the band, and then, at age 72, having to stop touring because of a hideous crippling disease (Ankylosing Spondylitis).”

Mars first sued Mötley Crüe in 2023 over a financial dispute stemming from his retirement from touring in 2022. Mars, who was replaced by guitarist John 5, claimed that while he was no longer touring with Mötley due to health issues, he still remained a member of the band and deserved to be compensated as such.

Also in the suit, Mars accused the other Mötley members — Lee, Neil and bassist Nikki Sixx — of using prerecorded tracks during the band’s 2022 reunion tour, specifically claiming that Sixx “did not play a single note on bass” live.

According to the press release issued by Mötley’s lawyer, Mars “was forced to admit under oath that his statements were false” regarding the miming allegations.

“Mötley Crüe is correct that the recordings that they gave to the arbitrator had Nikki playing,” McPherson’s statement reads. “However, to this day, none of them has been able to explain the videos of Nikki’s bass sound blaring while his hands are nowhere near his bass, or the sound of Tommy’s drums playing before he steps up to them. I guess fans will have to make up their own minds as to whether the signature sound of Mötley Crüe is Nikki’s bass, Tommy’s drums, Vince’s voice, or Mick’s guitar.”

“Meanwhile, Mick will maintain his dignity, which he has done throughout this demoralizing process, focusing on his new music,” McPherson continues. “As always, the behavior of his former bandmates speaks for itself, as does the band’s press release on Wednesday.”

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