On This Day, May 21, 1979: Elton John becomes first western act to play U.S.S.R

May 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

On This Day, May 21, 1979…

Elton John became the first western act to play the former U.S.S.R., when he kicked off a four-night stand at the Bolshoi Oktyabrsky (Great October) Concert Hall in Leningrad.

After the opening night concert, Elton was reportedly asked to tone down his show and refrain from playing a cover of The Beatles’ “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” but he continued to keep the song in his set.

The Leningrad shows were followed by four shows in Moscow at the Rossiya Concert Hall, with the final night broadcast live in Europe by the BBC.

Songs played during the shows included “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and more.

The concerts were recorded for a documentary, To Russia… with Elton, that featured footage from the final Moscow show.

Bruce Springsteen performs ‘Streets of Minneapolis’ on penultimate ‘The Late Show’

May 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Bruce Springsteen was the final announced musical guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Wednesday night, and he let his feelings be known as to who he thinks is responsible for the late night talk show’s cancelation.

“I am here in support tonight for Stephen because you’re the first guy in America who’s lost a show because we got a president who can’t take a joke,” said The Boss, noting that CBS’ new owners, Larry and David Ellison, “feel they need to kiss his a** to get what they want.”

He added, “Stephen these are small minded people that got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about. This is for you.”

Springsteen then performed his protest song “Streets of Minneapolis,” which he released in January. He said he wrote the song in “response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis,” including the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

The Late Show premiered on CBS in 1993, with David Letterman as host. Colbert took over when Letterman left in 2015.

CBS announced the show’s cancelation in July, noting it was a financial decision. Stephen Colbert will sign off The Late Show on Thursday; no guests for the finale have been revealed.

Night Ranger to release new ‘Best Of’ compilation

May 21, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Night Ranger is looking back on their career with a new compilation album.

The rockers are set to release Best Of on Aug. 28, an album featuring newly remixed and remastered versions of their classic tunes. It will include “Sister Christian,” “When You Close Your Eyes” and “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” as well as bonus tracks, including a live performance of the holiday classic “Feliz Navidad.”

As a preview of the record, the band has released the remastered version of 1982’s top-40 hit “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.”

“The new Best Of is a celebration of not only our classic hits but also what we’ve created over the last 20 years,” says Night Ranger’s Jack Blades. “And we’re just gonna keep cranking it cause we’re having too much fun to stop! So enjoy the ride and see ya on the road!”

Best Of will be released on CD and vinyl, with a double-LP version available in black, gold and orange splatter. All are available for preorder now.

Night Ranger is set to play Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Friday. A complete list of dates can be found at NightRanger.com.

Here is the track list for Best of:
“Don’t Tell Me You Love Me (2026)”
“(You Can Still) Rock in America (2026)”
“Sister Christian (2026)”
“When You Close Your Eyes (2026)”
“Four in the Morning (2026)”
“Breakout”
“Tomorrow”
“Growin’ Up in California”
“Time of Our Lives”
“High Road”
“No Time to Lose”
“Somehow Someway”
“Truth”
“Don’t Let Up”
“Only for You Only”
“Wasted Time (Sweetwater Studios)” (Bonus Track)
“Feliz Navidad (Live)” (Bonus Track)
“Hole In The Sun” (Bonus Track Japan)

Yes releases new track from upcoming album, ‘Aurora’

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Yes has released another song from their upcoming album, Aurora.

After debuting the album’s title track in April, the band — currently made up of Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen — has now released “Turnaround Situation.”

“‘Turnaround Situation’ came from realizing that every time I ignored my conscience, life seemed to fall apart in one way or another,” says Davison. “I’ve taken the wrong road before. Most people have. There’s always a temporary thrill in it, but eventually it catches up with you.”

Aurora is Yes’ 24th studio album and their first since 2023’s Mirror to the Sky. It will be released July 12 digitally, on CD and as a two-LP set, along with limited-edition deluxe editions that come with a bonus disc of instrumentals, a Blu-ray with various audio mixes of the album and more.

All formats are available for preorder now.

Lenny Kaye releases ‘Goin’ Local’ track ‘Solstice,’ co-written by Patti Smith

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Lenny Kaye, the longest serving member of the Patti Smith Group, has released another song off his upcoming debut album, Goin’ Local.

The latest is the track “Solstice,” which was co-written by Smith. The 79-year-old Kaye notes, “[O]ur collaboration continues a long history together across many of our shared works.”

This is the second track Kaye has released from the album, after previously releasing the title track.

Goin’ Local, coming out July 17, is described as “a deeply personal collection” that represents Kaye’s “most autobiographical and introspective turn yet.”

In addition to Smith, the album includes guest appearances from jazz pianist Matthew Shipp, Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone, The Jayhawks’ John Jackson and multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield.

Goin’ Local is available for preorder now.

After hitting the road this spring with Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Kaye has more shows lined up for this summer, including an appearance at Dex Fest in Carrboro, North Carolina, which takes place June 26-27. Kaye, Alvin and Gilmore will then bring their tour to the West Coast, starting July 12 in Santa Barbara, California.

Watch the full trailer for ‘Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul’ documentary

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

The full trailer has now been released for the upcoming documentary Gregg Allman – The Music of My Soul, about the late Allman Brothers Band founder.

The trailer, set to the Allman Brothers Band classic “Midnight Rider,” features archival footage of Gregg and the band. It includes clips touching upon the relationship between Gregg Allman and his brother Duane Allman, as well as Gregg’s drug addiction problems.

The clip ends with archival audio of Gregg saying, “Never told this story, I might as well.”

Gregg Allman: The Music of My Soul, from Grammy- and Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker James Keach, is described as “a profound portrait of Gregg Allman, a luminous figure whose life and songs mirror his struggles and salvation,” told through archival recordings, interviews and live performances.

The film will premiere in New York on June 9, followed by a June 11 premiere in Macon, Georgia. It will also have one-week exclusive engagements in Los Angeles and New York, before playing in theaters nationwide on June 17. Tickets are on sale now.

Grateful Dead releasing 1966 Fillmore Auditorium Independence Ball concert

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Grateful Dead are taking it back to their early career with their latest live release.

Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA (7/3/66) will be released on July 3, on the 60th anniversary of the concert, which took place seven months after the band changed their name from the Warlocks. The performance was part of legendary promoter Bill Graham’s Independence Ball, with the band at the time made up of Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Bob Weir.

The concert features some of the earliest known recordings of songs like “Tastebud,” “You Don’t Have To Ask” and “Cardboard Cowboy,” which the band would stop playing by the end of that summer. It also includes “Cold Rain and Snow,” which would go on to be a Dead staple.

The performance of “Cold Rain and Snow” is available now via digital outlets.

Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA (7/3/66), which was previously available in 2015 as part of the 50th anniversary boxed set 30 Trips Around the Sun, will be released digitally and as a two-CD set. It will also be released as a three-LP set, its first time ever on vinyl, limited to 6,600 copies. The vinyl release is available exclusively at Dead.net.

On This Day, May 20, 1991: Paul McCartney released ‘Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)’

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

On This Day, May 20, 1991…

Paul McCartney released an album made up of performances from his January 25, 1991, MTV Unplugged broadcast.

Unplugged (The Official Bootleg) featured McCartney, backed by the band that joined him on his 1989–1990 world tour, performing acoustic takes on several Beatles songs, as well as some covers.

Among the Beatles songs performed were “Blackbird,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “We Can Work it Out,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face” and “And I Love Her.”

McCartney was actually the first artist to release an album from his MTV Unplugged special. Several other artists followed in his footsteps including Eric Clapton, Nirvana, Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

‘Burning Down the House’: David Byrne performs Talking Heads classic with Stephen Colbert on ‘The Late Show’

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

As Stephen Colbert gets ready to sign off The Late Show, he enlisted Talking Heads frontman David Byrne to help him with his sendoff.

Byrne appeared on Colbert’s Tuesday night show for a special performance of the Talking Heads classic “Burning Down the House.” Midway through the song, Byrne, dressed all in blue, was joined by musicians and dancers all dressed in similar blue outfits, while screens in the background projected a raging fire.

The song ended with Colbert coming out in the same blue outfit, dancing along with the performers.

Colbert is in his final week of The Late Show, with Bruce Springsteen set to perform on Wednesday. Colbert will sign off The Late Show on Thursday; no guests for the finale have been revealed.

CBS announced in July 2025 that it was canceling The Late Show, noting the decision to end the late-night talker was a financial one. David Letterman launched The Late Show in 1993, and Colbert took over when Letterman left in 2015.

Foo Fighters premiere video for ’Your Favorite Toy’ track ‘Of All People’

May 20, 2026 by Classic Rock 93.9

Of all people you should watch the new Foo Fighters video, especially if you’re into extreme sports.

Dave Grohl and company have premiered the visual for “Of All People,” a track off the band’s new album, Your Favorite Toy. It features footage of the Swiss extreme skiing collective BPC, which endeavors to ski on surfaces other than snow, including grass and pavement.

“Just when I thought I’d seen it all, I discovered BPC and snowless skiing,” Grohl says in a statement. “It’s either the gnarliest extreme sport I’ve ever seen, the most fun anyone can have before a guaranteed trip to the hospital, or both. It’s an honor to be the soundtrack to this madness.”

You can watch the “Of All People” video streaming now on YouTube. Be warned, though: it includes footage of some pretty gnarly injuries, several of which are fingers pointing in the wrong direction.

Your Favorite Toy is out now. Foo Fighters will launch a North American stadium tour in support of the record in August.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

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