Classic Rock News

After waiting almost four years, Led Zeppelin fans finally got to see the story of their favorite band on the big screen with the February 2025 release of Becoming Led Zeppelin, the first officially sanctioned documentary about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band.

The film, directed by Bernard MacMahon, first premiered as a work in progress at the 2021 Venice Film Festival. It took until May 2024 for Sony Pictures Classics to acquire the rights to the completed project.

Described as a “hybrid docu-concert film,” Becoming Led Zeppelin featured archival footage of the band’s early days, along with concert footage and new interviews with surviving members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. It also featured archival audio from their late drummer, John Bonham.

The film initially opened exclusively in IMAX theaters and set a record in the U.S., bringing in $2.6 million, which was the biggest opening weekend ever for an IMAX-exclusive music release. The film also landed in the top 10 at the box office opening weekend. Since its release, Becoming Led Zeppelin has brought in $10.4 million domestically.

The film, currently streaming on Netflix, is on the short list for a possible Oscar nomination in the best documentary feature film category. It was also one of two docs to win best music documentary at the 10th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, tied with the Sly Stone doc Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).

– This year also saw Led Zeppelin celebrate the 50th anniversary of their iconic album Physical Graffiti. To mark the occasion, the band released a new live EP, titled Live E.P., as well as an update of 2015’s three-LP Physical Graffiti Deluxe Edition. It included a remastered version of the album, a bonus album featuring rough mixes and early versions of songs.

– John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham, also marked the milestone by launching a new tour, An Evening with JBLZE Celebrating 50 Years of Physical Graffiti, which had him and his band performing the album in its entirety, alongside other Led Zeppelin classics.

– Also this year, Plant released his first album with his band Saving Grace. Plus, Page and The Black Crowes reissued their collaborative live album, Live At The Greek.

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The final installment of the three-part YouTube series looking back at Freddie Mercury’s debut solo album, Mr Bad Guy, has just been released, and it focuses on the songs on the album.

Once again, the clip features archival footage of the Queen frontman’s 1985 interview with journalist David Wigg. When asked what song he finds most rewarding, Freddie has a hard time picking a favorite.

“Oh, I don’t know, the one that sells the most,” he quips, before giving a more thoughtful response.

“To me, this is a rewarding album. I think it’s a collection of songs which seem to sort of get in a groove,” he says. “And to me I couldn’t single out one song, because, at this point in time, I seem to be liking a different song every day.”

There are several songs about love on the album, and Mercury reveals whether that means he’s a romantic at heart.

“Well, I guess so,” he says, “but I just like writing songs about love because there’s so much scope and also they have so much to do with me.”

Mercury’s Mr Bad Guy was recently reissued in celebration of the 40th anniversary of its release. It was reissued on 180-gram translucent green vinyl featuring a 2019 mix by Queen’s longtime sound team, Justin Shirley-Smith and Joshua J. Macrae. The mix originally appeared on the Mercury box set Never Boring.

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Styx has announced the lineup for their 2026 Rockin’ in Paradise with Styx + Friends beach weekend.

The festival, happening Oct. 8-10 in Miramar Beach, Florida, will feature Styx headlining two special shows. The lineup includes Yacht Rock Review, 38 Special, Tesla, Don Felder, Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship.

A presale is underway now, with fans getting a chance to win a spot at a private soundcheck by the band.

A complete lineup and reservation information can be found at StyxParadise.com.

In addition to the festival, Styx has a busy 2026 ahead of them, including a five-show Las Vegas residency at the The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, a summer tour with Chicago and several dates with Cheap Trick.

A complete schedule can be found at StyxWorld.com.

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Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary Wish You Were Here reissue has nabbed the top spot on the U.K. Official Albums chart, making Wish You Were Here 50 this year’s Official Christmas #1 album. 

It’s been over 50 years since the original album topped the U.K. albums chart, which now gives Pink Floyd the record for the longest span between their first chart topper and their last. That title was previously held by The Beatles with 49 years and 252 days between Abbey Road, their first #1, and Number 1s, their last.

And for a band that’s been around since 1965, Pink Floyd is proving to still dominate the charts, as Wish You Were Here 50 is actually their second #1 of 2025. It follows Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII, the soundtrack to their concert film, which was released earlier this year. It’s actually the first time Pink Floyd has had two #1 albums in the same year.

As for Christmas chart-toppers, while this is their first Official Christmas #1 album, in 1979 Pink Floyd had the Christmas #1 single with “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2.”

And speaking of Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd has just released the official video for the album’s iconic title track, featuring archival footage of the band, animated visuals and more.

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Joe Walsh’s personal items, including his guitars, brought in big bucks at the Life’s Been Good: Joe Walsh auction, put on by Julien’s Auctions.

The auction took place Dec. 16-17 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, with bids coming in from over 22 countries around the world.

More than 800 of the rocker’s personal items were up for grabs, including over 400 guitars; several of the pieces sold well past the initial estimates. Among the highlights: a stage-played Mark Whitebook dreadnought acoustic guitar, which sold for $44,800, and a stage-played Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul custom bullseye guitar, which sold for $22,500, almost 20 times over the initial estimate.

Other hot items included Walsh’s 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which sold for $102,400; a Bad Company-signed Squier electric guitar, which for $32,000, 40 times over the estimate; Les Paul’s 1955 Steinway Model B grand piano, which went for $57,600; and a stage-played Duesenberg Starplayer TV-TO guitar in transparent orange, which sold for $35,200, over 10 times the estimate.

“Life’s been good for Joe Walsh, whose music has shaped decades of rock history. This historic auction was a true celebration of that incredible journey,” said Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “Julien’s are honored to have worked with Joe who wished to share pieces of his story with fans, collectors and investors who truly appreciate his artistry and also support the important work of Vet Aid.”

A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit Walsh’s charity VetsAid, which raises money for veteran-related causes.

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James Hetfield is here to bring some heavy metal spirit to your holiday season.

The Metallica frontman has shared a spoken-word recitation of the famous poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” 

“Grab your cocoa and settle in by the fire before your long winter’s nap for a reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Papa Het,” Metallica says.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear the singer of “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets” say the phrase “visions of sugarplums,” you can listen to Hetfield’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” reading on YouTube.

Metallica spent their 2025 continuing their M72 world tour, which has been running since 2023. Another European leg is planned to kick off in May.

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On This Day, Dec. 19, 2012 …

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason opened his wallet to save Foote’s, the London music store where he bought his first drum kit. Foote’s was about to go out of business, so Mason provided the funding it needed to stay open.

“One of my great memories of being a young, budding drummer was going to the original [Foote’s] … and buying my very first kit for £7.50,” he told Britain’s ITV news.

Unfortunately, the store closed down in 2022 after more than 100 years in business.

Pink Floyd recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their ninth studio album, Wish You Were Here, by reissuing it with 25 bonus tracks, including six tracks that had never been released before. It was released as a three-LP or two-CD set, as well as digitally, with the original album newly mixed in Dolby Atmos.

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The Recording Academy has announced the honorees for their 2026 Special Merit Awards Ceremony, and Carlos Santana and Paul Simon have been chosen to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The honor goes to “performers who, during their lifetime, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording,” according to a press release. Other 2026 honorees include Cher, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan and Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti.

Elton John’s songwriting partner Bernie Taupin is also set to be feted with the Recording Academy’s Trustees Award, given to “individuals who, during their careers in music, have made significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording,” the press release states. Latin musician Eddie Palmieri and record exec Sylvia Rhone are also set to receive the award.

“It’s a true honor to recognize this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres and the very foundation of modern music,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, in a statement. “Each of these honorees has made a profound and lasting impact, and we look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements on the eve of Grammy Sunday.”

The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards Ceremony will take place during Grammy week, on Jan. 31 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. The Grammy Awards are set for Feb. 1.

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Paul McCartney has reacted to the news that the German company Höfner, known for making guitars and basses, has filed for bankruptcy.

McCartney, a longtime user of the Höfner 500/1 violin bass, posted on Instagram that he was “sad to see Höfner go out of business.”

“They have been making instruments for over 100 years, and I bought my first Höfner bass in the sixties. I have loved it ever since,” he wrote, next to a black-and-white photo of him holding one of the company’s basses. “It’s a wonderful instrument to play: lightweight, and it encourages me to play quite freely. It also offers pleasing variations in tone that I enjoy.”

Finally, McCartney noted, “So, commiserations to everyone at Höfner, and thank you for all your help over the years.”

McCartney’s original Höfner bass was returned to him in 2024 after being missing for 50 years. He purchased the bass in Hamburg, Germany, in 1961 and used it to write such Beatles classics as “Love Me Do” and “She Loves You.”

After it was returned to McCartney, he played it for the first time at his December 2024 concert at London’s 02 Arena, the same show where he reunited with his Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.

In September, it was announced that the story of how the bass was found will be the subject of the new documentary The Beatle and the Bass, with McCartney appearing in the flick. So far there’s no word on where or when the film will be released.

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Journey’s Jonathan Cain has opened up about his future with the band.

In November, Journey announced their Final Frontier farewell tour, which kicks off Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The announcement came weeks after Journey’s Neal Schon said Cain had “announced his farewell to Journey.” Cain later clarified that he “remains an active member” of the band and had only “expressed plans to retire at a later time.”

In a recent appearance on The 700 Club, the 75-year-old Cain discussed what he says will be his final tour with the band, and why he’s decided he’s ready to hang it up.

“It’s time for me, at my age. I wanna live my life, you know, and the road just is so consuming and it just seems like a good time to get off, for me,” he explained. “And I just love our fans, and I wanna do it in a proper farewell, to say goodbye. So it should be a lot of fun.”

The farewell won’t be for a while, though, with Cain noting that the tour is expected to last two years.

He added, “We’ll get to see the fans one more time, and I’ll get to say thank you and I’m grateful.”

So far Journey has confirmed dates through July 2 in Laredo, Texas. A list of dates can be found at JourneyMusic.com.

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