The Rolling Stones released Shine a Light, the soundtrack to their Martin Scorsese-directed concert film of the same name.
The concert doc featured performances from the band’s two-night stand at the intimate Beacon Theatre in New York, which took place October 29 and November 1, 2006. The shows happened during their A Bigger Bang Tour.
The movie featured special guests Jack White, Buddy Guy and Christina Aguilera performing with the Stones; they also appeared on the soundtrack.
Performances on the release included “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Brown Sugar” and “Start Me Up.”
The last time The Rolling Stones hit the road was in 2024, in support of their 2023 studio album Hackney Diamonds. The tour, sponsored by AARP, took them across North America.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band perform during Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour at Target Center on March 31, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band launched their Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour in Minneapolis Tuesday night, streaming the first two songs live on YouTube.
The Boss began the show with “a prayer for our men and women in service overseas,” before saying, “The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock and roll in dangerous times.”
“We are here in celebration and defense of our American ideals, democracy, our Constitution and our sacred American promise,” he continued, noting America “is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless and treasonous administration.”
The show kicked off with a performance of the Edwin Starr track “War,” which according to setlist.fm, was the first time the band had performed the song live since 2003. That was followed by “Born in the U.S.A.,” which was recently used for a ACLU ad about President Trump’s attempt to get rid of birthright citizenship. Both songs featured Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello on guitar.
Springsteen also performed “Streets of Minneapolis” for the first time with The E Street Band, “The Promised Land,” “My City of Ruins,” “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” “Badlands” and “Land of Hope and Dreams,” as well as classics like “Born to Run,” “Hungry Heart,” “Dancing in the Dark” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.”
Paying homage to Minnesota native Prince, the band performed “Purple Rain” for the first time since 2016. They ended the night with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.”
The late Bob Weir is being honored for his commitment to protecting the environment.
The Music Sustainability Alliance has announced a new award named after the Grateful Dead co-founder, who passed away in January. The MSA Bobby Weir Sustainability Awards, to be handed out annually, will recognize “individuals and organizations in music who are advancing environmental responsibility and climate action.”
Weir’s family has thrown their support behind the awards, which “celebrate those who embody his long-standing commitment to protecting the natural world while strengthening the cultural power of music.”
“Bobby always strived to leave nothing but bare footprints on the Earth. If it was helpful to the planet, animals, or others, it was always a yes for him,” the Weir family said in a statement. “He spent decades encouraging the music world to consider its impact on the land, the climate, and future generations. We appreciate the opportunity to support MSA as it recognizes leaders carrying that spirit forward.”
“Bobby Weir has long demonstrated how music can inspire care for the planet, and we’re honored to have the support of the Weir family to recognize the innovators and leaders transforming the music industry and turn that spirit into real environmental progress,” said MSA co-founder and CEO Amy Morrison. “We hope the awards will shine a spotlight on the people across the music ecosystem who are proving that sustainability and creativity can move forward together.”
The first Bobby Awards, as they will be called, will be handed out April 14 in Los Angeles during the 2026 Music Sustainability Summit. More info can be found at musicsustainability.org.
Arnel Pineda of Journey performs at TD Coliseum on March 09, 2026 in Hamilton, Ontario. (Photo by Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images)
Journey is currently on their Final Frontier farewell tour, but it sounds like it almost didn’t happen.
A new article in Rolling Stone looks behind the scenes of the tour, featuring interviews with Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda prior to the kickoff. It delves into the contentious relationship between Cain and Schon, and also reveals that Pineda originally didn’t want to do the tour.
Pineda’s reluctance had to do with the state of his voice and how his body handles cold weather, along with personal issues, including a contentious divorce, which was big news in his native Philippines.
“Back in 2024, I said to them, ‘If you’re planning to do a farewell tour, you better tell me, because my issues and my personal problems are getting more intense, and I don’t know if I want to go with you,’” he tells the mag.
But Pineda says the band booked the tour anyway, and he wasn’t happy. When he emailed them about it, he didn’t hear back. He was so upset he actually told them he wanted to retire, but he still got no answer.
When asked about Pineda’s feelings about the tour, Schon said “it’s been very confusing” and acknowledged Pineda sent messages about not knowing if he could do it. “But we all signed contracts, OK?” Schon says. “So, honestly, I’m signed up for the next two years. I’m ready for it.” He added, “I hope that he feels better about things.”
The interview ends with the first full-band rehearsal for the tour, with the writer noting Pineda sounded “stellar the entire time.” When asked if he was happy to be there, Pineda responded “60 percent,” adding, “The other 40 percent of me is still there in the Philippines.”
Barry Manilow, ‘What A Time.’ (STILETTO Entertainment)
Barry Manilow may be 83 years old, but he’s aware of what’s going on in today’s music — and he just doesn’t get it. He even tried to write songs like one of today’s biggest pop stars, but couldn’t pull it off.
Speaking to The Times of London, Barry, who’s going to release what he says is his final album in June, said, “The truth is that for this record I really studied what’s going on out there — artists like Billie Eilish.”
He explained, “I tried to write like her but I just couldn’t because I’m used to verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, ending — but pop music now just sounds like run-on sentences. Where is the chorus? Hook?”
“Song after song is like that, so I went back to what I know and people will either think I haven’t listened to pop radio in 40 years or they’ll say, ‘Thank God! Something to hang my ears on!’” he added.
Asked to address why he thinks pop music doesn’t sound like it used to, Barry offered this explanation: “I don’t mean this negatively, but it feels like songs now are not written by bona fide musicians.”
“They feel written by young people, who know a couple of chords, and some new songs are really good,” he continued. “But the stars of pop nowadays are studio engineers and the last thing you pay attention to in a modern record are the lyrics or melody. The rhythm and grooves are delicious. But songwriters? I don’t think they’re there any more.”
Barry’s new album, What a Time, is out June 5. It features his most recent hit, “Once Before I Go.”
Simple Minds, Adam Ant and Soft Cell are among the artists set to play the Darker Waves Festival, taking place Nov. 14 at Huntington Beach City Beach in Huntington Beach, California.
The festival, which mostly focuses on ’80s and ’90s alternative music, will be headlined by Smashing Pumpkins and Morrissey, and feature 35 artists across three stages. Other artists on the bill include Gary Numan, The Motels, Missing Persons, Modern English, Marky Ramone, Silversun Pickups, Buzzcocks and Spacehog.
A presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets will go on sale to the general public an hour later at 11 a.m. PT.
Inductee Carole King performs onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
Carole King’s music has been covered by a whole host of artists over the years, and a new playlist is highlighting some soulful versions of her classic tunes.
The Soul of Carole King, now available on Spotify, features songs King either wrote or co-wrote, covered by the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, The Stylistics, Al Green and more.
A post on Instagram notes that the playlist was “Curated to showcase deep-groove covers and emotional performances from the architects of Soul and R&B.” It notes, “The collection honors the songwriting genius of King with gospel-influenced vocals, horn-driven arrangements, inspired instrumentals and intimate interpretations.”
Songs featured in the playlist include Franklin’s iconic version of “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman”; covers of “You’ve Got a Friend” from Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Al Green and more; Flack’s cover of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”; Gaye’s take on “Some Kind of Wonderful”; and The Drifters’ recording of “Up on the Roof.”
James Taylor at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Disney/Eric McCandless)
James Taylor, Van Morrison, Sting and Deep Purple are among the artists booked to play the 2026 Montreux Jazz Festival, taking place in Montreux, Switzerland, July 3-18.
All four artists are booked to play the festival’s Auditorium Stravinski, with Sting performing on July 4, Deep Purple confirmed for July 13, and Taylor and Morrison set for July 18.
Deep Purple, of course, has quite a connection to Montreux. The band’s iconic tune “Smoke on the Water” was inspired by the 1971 fire that burned down the Montreux Casino; the title’s a reference to smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva. They last played the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2024.
Tickets go on sale Wednesday at noon local time.
This year marks the 60th edition of the Montreux Jazz Festival. The festival is returning after a two-year hiatus.
Keyboard player Christopher North of Ambrosia performs onstage on May 23, 2015 in Bakersfield, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Christopher North, keyboardist and founding member of the soft rock group Ambrosia, has passed away at the age of 75. The news was confirmed by the band in a post on Facebook.
“Fans of Ambrosia, we honor the legendary life and career of our dearest family member Christopher North, the ‘Hammond B3 King’ whose sonic architecture defined a generation of progressive and soft rock,” they write. “A founding member since 1970, he was a keyboard wizard who brought an unmatched intensity and emotional depth to every performance.”
“We will always remember ‘Northwind’ for his fiery, ‘intense’ stage presence—a legacy that began when he was first discovered playing in a dimly lit room, his organ topped with a bottle of wine,” they continue. “Even as he faced health challenges in recent years, including a brave and successful battle with throat cancer, his spirit remained tied to the music and the fans he loved.”
“Christopher North’s work did more than just fill airwaves; it created ‘aural landscapes’ that balanced virtuosity with soulful, radio-friendly hooks,” Ambrosia adds. “We celebrate a true craftsman of the classic rock era whose lush piano lines and soaring organ swells will remain timeless.”
They conclude, “He was truly one of a kind, and loved dearly by his fans and bandmates. RIP, Brother Chris, forever and ever in our hearts.”
Ambrosia formed in Los Angeles in 1970 and had a string of top-40 hits between 1975 and 1980, including “How Much I Feel” and “Biggest Part of Me,” which both hit the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “You’re The Only Woman (You & I)” and “Holdin’ On To Yesterday.”
‘Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’ reissue artwork. (Island/UMe)
The Cranberries have announced a new reissue of the band’s 1993 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, in honor of its 33rd anniversary.
The package, due out May 22, will include a new remaster of the original album as well as an updated stereo mix by producer Stephen Street. It also features various bonus recordings, such as live tracks and a remix of “Linger” by Iain Cook of CHVCRHES.
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? spawned the singles “Dreams” and “Linger.” It propelled The Cranberries beyond their home country of Ireland into worldwide fame, earning five-times Platinum certification by the RIAA.
“We come from a small town in Ireland where things like that didn’t happen, so it was fairytale material,” says guitarist Noel Hogan in a statement.
The Cranberries released their final album, In the End, in 2019 following the 2018 death of frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan.
