Classic Hits

It’s almost tiiiime.

Mariah Carey is preparing for her annual Christmas Time tour with a new exclusive Apple Music set list playlist.

The Christmas Time tour set list playlist includes 20 songs, complete with all of her holiday classics and several of her popular non-festive hits.

“Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Joy to the World” and “Sleigh Ride” are just a few of the holiday songs featured, along with hits like “Always Be My Baby,” “It’s Like That” and “Fantasy.” It all ends with her seminal yuletide classic, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Mariah told Apple Music in an essay accompanying the playlist that the concert’s atmosphere will be “festive, celebratory, joyous, happy, jolly, jovial,” along with added moments of reflection. “There will also be poignant moments, because there’s a variety of moods in my songs and at the holidays,” Mariah said.

The 20-date tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of her album Merry Christmas starts on Nov. 6 in Highland, California.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

James Taylor is showing his support for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz‘s campaign for the White House. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is set appear at Walz’s rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Thursday, where he’ll perform with his wife, Kim Taylor, and son Henry Taylor.

James recently shared a photo on Instagram of him, his wife and his son after they cast their vote early, with the caption talking about how there are people out there working to make it harder for folks to vote.

“This is a really important election – they all are, but this one especially so with so much at stake,” Taylor shared. “Can you feel it, America? Can you feel what it is we need to do? How important it is right now? I sure do.”

Taylor is one of many high-profile musicians stumping for Harris and Walz. R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe has already appeared at rallies in Pittsburgh and Athens, Georgia, while Bruce Springsteen is set to appear at rallies on Thursday in Atlanta and another on Oct. 28 in Philadelphia. Both will feature President Barack Obama. In addition, Beyoncé is set to appear alongside Harris at a rally in Houston on Friday.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

U2 has shared another track from their upcoming How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb “shadow” album, How to Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb.

The latest is the song “Happiness,” the third track they’ve released from the album, following “Country Mile” and “Picture of You (X+Y).”

The songs are three of the 10 previously unreleased tracks from the band’s archive that appear on How To Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, with the songs all coming from the original recording sessions for the band’s 11th studio album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. 

It will be released Nov. 29 as an exclusive for Record Store Day Black Friday, along with a digital release.

In addition to the shadow album, U2 will release a special 20th anniversary remastered edition of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, featuring the bonus track “Fast Car.”

They’ll also release a package with the remaster and the shadow album together, dubbed How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (Re-Assemble Edition), as well as a five-CD limited-edition collector’s edition box set, which includes the complete Vertigo 2005: Live From Chicago show. 

All three formats will be released Nov. 22.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Queen will release Queen I, a six-CD + one-LP collector’s edition box set devoted to their self-titled debut album, on Friday, and it’s just another way the band is celebrating their legacy. 

In an interview with MOJO, guitarist Brian May says their legacy is “absolutely” important to them, noting, “The passion is still there. We still get angry if things aren’t right, and it’s still fun.”

He adds, “When I pop off from this planet, I would like to know that I’ve done my best on anything that I ever touched.” 

He also shares that while bassist John Deacon hasn’t played with the band since 1997, he is still very much a part of decisions that are made with regard to Queen.

“John still has a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ say. We get messages that he’s happy with what we’re doing, but he doesn’t want the stress of being involved creatively, and we respect that,” May says. “Freddie (Mercury) we can’t talk to, sadly. But the four of us worked as a team for so long that Roger (Taylor) and I have a pretty good idea what our fellow Queen members would be saying.”

He adds, “This thing is longer that anybody’s marriage.”

And it sounds like fans can expect Queen to revisit at least one more album in their catalog.

“I certainly think Queen II deserves that treatment,” May says. “There are many layers on that record and there wasn’t really the technology to make that heard.” 

He adds, “I think we’ll stop there, though. By Sheer Heart Attack we had everything under our fingers.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On This Day, Oct. 24, 1936 …

William George Perks, who went on to become The Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, was born in Lewisham, South London.

He joined The Stones in 1962, legally changing his last name to Wyman in 1964. He recorded 19 albums with the band and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the group in 1989.

Wyman left The Stones in January 1993. 

Although he’s no longer in the band, Wyman can be heard on The Stones’ most recent album, Hackney Diamonds, which also features the late Charlie Watts.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Two new versions of the George Harrison track “Be Here Now” have just been released, both of which will appear on the upcoming 50th anniversary reissue of Harrison’s second solo album, Living in the Material World.

The Harrison estate just released what’s being called the “Take 8” version, which was recorded Oct. 12, 1972, as well as a new mix from Grammy Award-winning engineer Paul Hicks. Both are available now via digital outlets.

Coinciding with the releases is a new video, including art from guru Ram Dass’ Be Here Now book.

The 50th anniversary reissue of Living in the Material World is set to drop Nov. 15 in a variety of formats, including a super deluxe edition featuring 12 previously unreleased recordings, a newly mixed version of the album and a Blu-ray featuring the album in Dolby Atmos; and a 7-inch single of a previously unheard recording of “Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)” featuring Harrison’s Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr and The Band’s Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko.

There will be two-LP and two-CD deluxe editions and single CD and LP versions, with limited-edition color vinyl variants.

All formats are available for preorder now.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Bruce Springsteen documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band premieres Friday on Hulu and Disney+, and the film’s director, Thom Zimny, tells ABC Audio exploring what goes into The Boss’ live shows was “something that I’ve always wanted to do.”

“I also wanted to go beyond the traditional concert film,” he says, adding he was hoping to capture “that sort of magical thing that happens onstage” at a Springsteen show. 

Zimny has collaborated with Springsteen on several previous projects, including the 2020 doc Letter To You, and he says getting to be around Bruce is “a gift.”

“After 24 years, it’s been so life changing and such a positive element in my development as a filmmaker,” he adds.

In the film, Bruce’s wife, and E Street Band member, Patti Scialfa opens up about her six-year battle with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.

“We were talking about the beauty of the live show and the music, and it went into the conversation and details of why she’s not been touring as much lately,” Zimny says, noting the trust they’ve built up over the years made it easier for her to talk about her condition. 

“And for me as a filmmaker, that’s the best gift you can get is this space of trust and a dialogue that’s honest,” he says.

At 75, fans are always worried Bruce will hang it up, but Zimny says he doesn’t see that happening.

“I think the film Road Diary reflects what I see every time I am lucky enough to hang out in a rehearsal or show or soundcheck,” he says. “There’s no sense of a retirement in any fashion that I see. So if anything, I just hope to keep up with him.” 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Elton John will make a special appearance on an upcoming concert special starring pop star Dua Lipa.

An Evening with Dua Lipa — capturing her special one-off concert at Royal Albert Hall on Oct. 17 — is heading to TV screens later this year. It will feature John and Dua performing their duet “Cold Heart,” which interpolates several Elton songs, including “Rocket Man” and “Sacrifice.”

“I wanted to remember this show forever so we captured it to share with you too,” Dua wrote alongside the trailer for the special Wednesday on Instagram. “ONE NIGHT ONLY with me, my band, The Heritage Orchestra and the one and only Elton John at Royal Albert Hall coming soon to @CBStv and @itv @itvxofficial … who’s ready to see thissss?!!!!”

An Evening with Dua Lipa will premiere Dec. 15 on CBS.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes has announced that his annual Christmas Jam won’t be happening this year. The show takes place each year in Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, but due to the damage the city suffered in Hurricane Helene they are not moving forward with the 2024 edition.

“The devastation from Hurricane Helene in Asheville has been heartbreaking,” reads a post on the show’s website. “Despite the immense challenges to every day life and the future, the community has come together in an inspiring way, with strangers helping one another.”

“Rebuilding will take time and collective effort,” the post continues. “Unfortunately, holding a concert in Asheville this year isn’t possible, as resources are focused on emergency efforts. Christmas Jam 33 will take place in Asheville in 2025.”

The statement notes that a lot of support is needed for the folks affected by the hurricane, adding, “we are working on several initiatives including other benefit concerts in order to raise funds quickly.” 

Haynes launched Christmas Jam in 1988, and proceeds from the show benefit Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Artists who’ve played Christmas Jam in the past include The Allman Brothers Band, Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Grohl, Sheryl Crow and Steve Miller Band.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Two of Paul McCartney‘s kids showed up to support fellow Beatles legend George Harrison‘s son, Dhani Harrison, at his concert in London Monday.

James McCartney and Stella McCartney took a moment to snap a photo with Dhani Harrison at his London gig on Tuesday, which James McCartney later shared on Instagram.

“Great gig last night in London watching @dhaniharrison! Please support his music,” he wrote in the caption, which showed him posing alongside his sister and Dhani Harrison in what appeared to be a backstage area.

Dhani Harrison is a musician in his own right and has released several albums over the years both in his work as a solo artist and with the bands Thenewno2 and Fistful of Mercy. In addition to his Oct. 21 show in London, he performed several recent shows in Berlin and Paris.

James McCartney is also a musician and has released several studio albums through the years, including the recent Beautiful Nothing.

Stella McCartney is a successful fashion designer.

The Beatles’ children have made a habit of supporting each other through the years in their respective careers, even collaborating with one another on occasion. In April, James McCartney released a song titled “Primrose Hill,” which he co-wrote with his “good friend” Sean Ono Lennon, son of Beatles legend John Lennon and his wife, artist and activist Yoko Ono.

“With the release of this song it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you,” James McCartney wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

Paul McCartney shared Stella and James McCartney with his late wife Linda McCartney, who died in 1998. Dhani Harrison is George Harrison’s only child, whom he shared with wife Olivia Harrison.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.