Classic Hits

On This Day, July 9, 1983…

The Police landed their first and only #1 song with “Every Breath You Take,” from their #1 album Synchronicity.

The song spent eight weeks on top of the chart, and hit #1 in Canada and the U.K., spending four weeks at #1 in both countries.

“Every Breath You Take” earned The Police two Grammy Awards, Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

The tune was later sampled in Puff Daddy’s 1997 hit “I’ll Be Missing You,” a tribute to the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G. That tune spent 11 weeks on top of the Hot 100 chart, and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a duo or group. 

The Police are set to reissue Synchronicity on July 26, with a deluxe box set that includes 55 previously unreleased tracks, including alternate takes, instrumentals, demos and live recordings.

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Lilith Fair, the festival founded by Canadian star Sarah McLachlan in 1997, became a cultural gamechanger by featuring a lineup of women or women-led acts exclusively.  Now, the groundbreaking festival will be the subject of an upcoming documentary, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The doc, co-produced by Dan Levy‘s Not a Real Production Company, will feature interviews with Sarah, as well as Lilith Fair alums Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, the Indigo Girls, Emmylou Harris, Erykah Badu and Mýa, as well as current female singer/songwriters Brandi Carlile and Olivia Rodrigo.  It will also utilize more than 600 hours of archival footage, as well as interviews with fans and organizers.

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Levy says, “What Sarah built with that festival changed so much for so many people. And while it is now seen as an odds-defying success story, it was an uphill battle every step of the way. And there is a lot to be learned from that story.”

In addition to featuring major acts, Lilith Fair, which ran from 1997 to 1999, also helped to launch the careers of acts like Nelly Furtado, The Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliott and Christina Aguilera. Other participants included Tracy Chapman, Fiona Apple and Lisa Loeb.

The documentary will be released theatrically in Canada, and the Canadian Broadcasting Company will premiere it sometime during the 2025-2026 festival season.

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There are few people who don’t know who Bruce Springsteen is but apparently two years ago, Cara Delevingne was one of them.

The model/actress tells the U.K. Times that in 2022 she and her girlfriend Leah Mason met The Boss at the Glastonbury Music Festival, but Cara was clueless about his identity. 

“We teach each other so many things. Two years ago we were backstage at Glastonbury and we took a photo with this guy,” Delevingne shared. “I said to Leah afterwards, ‘who was that?’ She was like, ‘What? That was Bruce Springsteen!'”

“I had no idea what he looked like,” Delevingne added. “She thinks that’s blasphemy.”

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Sammy Hagar will kick off his The Best of All Worlds Tour on Saturday, and ahead of the kickoff, he and his bandmates – Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham – are answering a few questions to get fans excited about what to expect.

In a video posted to Instagram, all of them were asked which song they’re most excited to play, with both Hagar and Anthony agreeing that it’s Van Halen’s “5150,” with Anthony noting, “it’s smokin’.”

Satriani says he’s simply excited to play all the songs, while Bonham wouldn’t pick a favorite out of fear he’d give away something about the set list.

Hagar also shared how he doesn’t like to rehearse, but explains why it was so important to do so.

“I’m nervous about this set list,” he says. “This is deep. This is so many lyrics for me to remember and so many high notes for me to hit and it’s coming together. I’m happy.”

Bonham reveals he went on a diet before the tour and is down 30 pounds, joking, “Thanks for all those nice comments that used to say ‘hey fatty lose some weight.'”

But getting serious, Bonham shares that being on this tour has a really special meaning for him.

“Forty years ago I saw Mikey with Van Halen for the first ever time in my life so it changed my life,” he says, “and I have been doing music ever since because of that moment.”

Hagar’s The Best of All Worlds tour, which will have him performing Van Halen classics along with solo tunes and tracks from his other bands, The Circle and Chickenfoot, kicks off July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. A complete list of dates can be found at redrocker.com.

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Ringo Starr celebrated his 84th birthday on Sunday with his annual Peace and Love event in Los Angeles, and his message  of peace and love was spread not only across the globe, but into space as well.

Ringo just shared a video sent from NASA, which includes a message he contributed to their Lucy mission, the first mission to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. 

The video explains that the Lucy mission plaque contains “words of advice, words of wisdom, words of joy and words of inspiration” to those who may read it in the future. It features several of those messages from writers, poet laureates and more, including one from Ringo. 

“A little noisy, but I’m so excited,” Ringo proclaims after playing his drums. “Lucy is going back in the sky with diamonds,” adding “Johnny will love that,” referring to his late Beatles bandmate John Lennon. 

He adds, “Anyway, if you meet anyone up there Lucy give them peace and love from me.”

“I want to thank NASA for the beautiful moment they sent me for my birthday the Lucy Mission, peace, and love everybody up in the sky, peace and love,” Ringo shared on Instagram.

NASA added, “There are many stars in our galaxy but only one @ringostarrmusic. Happy birthday! Your message of #PeaceAndLove is currently flying across the solar system aboard our #LucyMission– the first mission to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids.”

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Bonnie Raitt is playing a special show this fall to benefit a good cause.

The singer announced she’ll headline an intimate concert at the Sunset Cultural Center in Carmel-By-The-Sea, California, on Sept. 23, with proceeds being donated to non-profit organizations that support investigative journalism and protecting a free press. The show will feature special guest Roy Rogers.

“With our democracy at a crossroads, never have investigative journalism and protection of a free press been more essential to holding the powerful to account and keeping the public informed and engaged,” Raitt shares.

The venue holds only 700 people, and a presale for tickets will happen July 9 at 12 p.m. PT, with tickets going on sale to the general public July 12 at 12 p.m. PT. More info can be found at sunsetcenter.org.

Raitt will kick off another leg of her Just Like That… tour on Sept. 6 in Prescott Valley, Arizona. A complete list of dates can be found at bonnieraitt.com.

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Looks like Bruce Springsteen will be skipping the Olympics this year.

The singer’s daughter, Jessica Springsteen, failed to make the U.S. equestrian three-person jumping squad for the upcoming Paris Olympics. 

Had she successfully made the team, The Boss would have been free to be in Paris to cheer her on, as his European tour with The E Street Band ends July 27, and his U.S. dates don’t begin until August 15 in Pittsburgh. The Olympics run from July 26 to August 11. 

Jessica is a previous Olympic medalist. She won a silver in the three-person jumping event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

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Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has added more dates to his Final One Man Solo tour.

After launching the tour in March, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will kick off the new leg on Oct. 3 in Tarrytown, New York, with dates confirmed through Nov. 2 in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.  

The show will feature highlights from Wakeman’s five-decade career, including solo work and work with Yes. Plus, he’ll play the 30-minute instrumental, “Yessonata,” turning themes and melodies from Yes into a sonata. 

“I have thoroughly enjoyed performing the various one-man shows, but it’s time to call it a day,” he says, sharing he plans to stop touring by his 77th birthday, which will happen May 18, 2026. “I intend to throw in the best of what I have done in the past, plus a few new surprises on the way, and possibly even the odd guest joining me on the odd occasion.” 

He adds, “I am taking this opportunity of thanking everyone and anyone who has supported me over the last 53 years!”

A complete list of Rick Wakeman tour dates can be found at rwcc.com.

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Duran Duran is celebrating Halloween in New York City this year.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just announced dates for a North American East Coast tour, which includes The Danse Macabre Halloween Party, happening October 31 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Duran Duran first headlined a U.S. show on Halloween back in 2022, which inspired them to record their 2023 Halloween-inspired album Danse Macabre, which featured themed covers, new songs and reimagined versions of some classic Duran Duran tracks.

The tour itself will kick off October 21 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and include stops in Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland, before wrapping November 2 in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

A ticket presale will kick off July 11 at 10 a.m, with tickets going on sale to the general public July 12 at 10 a.m. Each ticket will come with a digital copy of Danse Macabre.

A complete list of dates can be found at duranduran.com.

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Paul McCartney has added another show to his 2024 Got Back tour.

The latest addition has the Beatle headlining El Campin Stadium in Bogotá, Colombia, on Nov. 1, his first time in the city since 2012.

⁠”Colombia, we are on our way!” McCartney shares. “Our last visit to you was so special and felt like an unbeatable experience but we know this is going to be even bigger and better!”

He adds, “Me and the band can’t wait to see you all. Let’s get ready to make memories together again.”

McCartney launched his Got Back tour in the U.S. in 2022. He’s set to kick off the latest leg on Oct. 1 in Montevideo, Uruguay. A complete list of dates can be found at PaulMcCartney.com.

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