Classic Hits – Page 387

Billy Joel’s MSG residency now second only to Celine Dion’s in box office grosses

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Billy Joel wrapped up his 10-year residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden on July 25, and now the numbers are in.

According to Billboard, the residency, which featured Billy playing one show per month at the legendary venue, earned just under $267 million and sold 1.9 million tickets over 104 shows since it launched in 2014. Every one of those shows sold out, for an average of 18,600 tickets per show.

Over 10 years, ticket prices increased from about $2 million in earnings from those first shows to the final show, which took in $5 million.

Billboard notes that Billy’s residency is now the third-highest-grossing concert residency in the history of the publication’s Boxscore concert tallies, which began in the mid-’80s. The only two that have earned more have been Celine Dion‘s A New Day, which earned just over $385 million from 2003 to 2007 at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, and her second residency show, Celine, which earned just over $296 million from 2011 to 2019.

U2‘s 40-show run at Sphere in Las Vegas was previously in third place with $244.5 million, until these new numbers knocked them down to fourth place.

The CBS special Billy Joel: The 100th — Live at Madison Square Garden, which documented the 100th show of the residency, won three trophies at the Creative Arts Emmys, held in LA Sept. 7 and 8.

“Childless Dog Lady” Stevie Nicks shares new election-themed message inspired by Taylor Swift

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Stevie Nicks appears to have been inspired by Taylor Swift’s recent social media post endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

The Fleetwood Mac singer has shared her own thoughts on the upcoming election, posting a photo that mirrored Taylor’s photo with her cat, except Stevie is posing with her dog.

“As my friend @taylorswift so eloquently stated, now is the time to research and choose the candidate that speaks to you and your beliefs,” Stevie shared.

While Stevie didn’t outright endorse any candidate in her post, she urged her followers to make their voices heard.

“Only 54 days left until the election,” she wrote. “Make sure you are registered to vote! Your vote in this election may be one of the most important things you ever do.”

And like Taylor, who signed her post “Childless Cat Lady,” Stevie signed hers “Childless Dog Lady.” Both are references to past comments made by Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.

Stevie and Taylor have been supporters of each other for years. Back in July, during her show in Dublin that Stevie attended, Taylor called the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “a hero of mine,” then performed her song “Clara Bow” off The Tortured Poets Department, which name-checks Stevie in the lyrics.

Stevie showed her appreciation for the song by writing a poem, “For T – and me …,” that’s included in The Tortured Poets Department.

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour announces two rehearsal shows ahead of Luck and Strange tour

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is getting ready to hit the road on his Luck and Strange tour, but a few lucky fans in England will get to see a preview of what he’s planning.

Gilmour just announced he’s headlining two special rehearsal concerts, an evening show on Sept. 20 and a matinee on Sept. 21, at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England.

Fans who either order or have already purchased Gilmour’s recent solo album, Luck and Strange, through his website get first shot at tickets, which cost less than $40 each.

Gilmour’s Luck and Strange tour kicks off Sept. 27 in Rome, Italy. He hits the States Oct. 25 in Los Angeles, with shows in New York to follow. A complete list of dates can be found at davidgilmour.com.

And speaking of concert tickets, Gilmour just weighed in on the controversy over the high price of tickets to the upcoming Oasis reunion shows, specifically the practice of dynamic pricing, where tickets go up in price based on demand.

After sharing in a new ITV interview that a Pink Floyd reunion wasn’t likely to happen because the three surviving members — Gilmour, Roger Waters and Nick Mason — aren’t on speaking terms, Gilmour was asked about the Gallagher brothers’ reunion.

“Oasis should do what’s right for them,” he said, but noted about the ticket controversy, “Chose a ticket price and stick to it.”

Kansas announces new bassist following Billy Greer’s retirement

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Kansas has announced a replacement for their bassist and co-lead vocalist Billy Greer, who recently announced his retirement after close to 40 years with the band.

The rockers announced on social media that Dan McGowan, who has already filled in for Greer at shows in 2024, will be taking on the gig full time.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining KANSAS,” McGowan shares. “I am also deeply aware of the gigantic shoes that I will be filling … I want the fans to know that I love the music of KANSAS, and I hold it in highest reverence.”

He adds, “I am committed to doing justice to the band’s incredible legacy, and I am so grateful for this unbelievable opportunity!”

McGowan’s resume includes being the singer and guitarist for the progressive rock band The Tea Club, who are set to release their sixth album this year. He also played with Kansas keyboardist Tom Brislin in his band Gold Rotation.

Greer has been a member of Kansas since 1985 and appeared on seven of the band’s studio albums.

On This Day, Sept. 11, 1982: John Mellencamp lands his first and only #1 album with ‘American Fool’

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

On This Day, Sept. 11, 1982…

John Mellencamp, then known as John Cougar, had the #1 album in the country, with his fifth studio album American Fool. It was his first and only #1 record.

The album spent nine weeks at #1, and produced the #1 single, “Jack and Diane,” which spent four weeks in the top spot.

Another single, “Hurt So Good,” spent four weeks at #2 and 16 weeks in the top 10, while a third, “Hand to Hold On To,” peaked at #19.

“Hurts So Good” went on to win Mellencamp a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Queen to reissue their self-titled debut album, along with collector’s edition box set

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Queen fans will soon be able to experience their 1973 debut album in a whole new way.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers are set to release a remixed and remastered version of the self-titled album on Oct. 25, with an expanded collector’s edition that comes with six CDs and one LP, featuring 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes.

The set, now titled Queen I, will include the original album with a new track listing, along with its originally intended running order, and the addition of “Mad the Swine,” a song that was absent from the 1973 release. There are also alternative takes, demos and rare live tracks, along with “fly-on-the-wall audio” that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at Queen in the studio.

It also comes with a 108-page book featuring handwritten lyrics and memorabilia.

“Queen I is the debut album we always dreamed of bringing to you,” guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor share.

In the new liner notes, May adds, “This is not just a remaster, this is a brand new 2024 rebuild of the entire Queen debut album, which, with the benefit of hindsight, we have re-titled Queen I.”

And Queen is offering up the first preview of the set with the Oct. 4 release of a 7-inch single of the new mix of “The Night Comes Down.” The track will also be available immediately to anyone who preorders the digital version of the album.

In addition to the box set, Queen I will be released as a single CD and two-CD deluxe edition, as well as on vinyl, picture disc and cassette.

All formats are available for preorder now.

Bonnie Raitt on what goes into building the perfect set list

September 11, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Bonnie Raitt has a lot of songs in her catalog that fans will want to hear when she’s out on tour, and she doesn’t see that as a bad thing.

“I’m lucky enough to have songs that people will be mad if they don’t hear; that’s not a drag, it’s an honor,” she tells the Los Angeles Times for an article about creating a concert set list. “I’m still invested every time.”

Bonnie says that while some artists like Bob Dylan will completely change up their set from show to show, it isn’t as easy for her to do since she’s constantly switching instruments during her concert. But, she says, she still likes to swap out songs when she can, sometimes making the decision in the middle of a performance.

“I’ll have my guitar guy standing there with two instruments and I’ll point to the one I want,” she says.

And while playing the same songs every night can get boring, Raitt says she’ll change things up in order to keep things fresh, although that doesn’t always work. For instance, on one tour she performed her hit “Something to Talk About” with a ska beat, which may not have gone over that well.

“We had fun doing it, but I couldn’t tell what the audience thought and you can’t interview them about whether they liked it or not,” she says. “I think you’ve got to keep those iconic songs pretty close to what people came to hear since they’re paying for the tour bus.”

Raitt is currently on the latest leg of her Just Like That… tour. She plays San Diego on Wednesday. A complete list of dates can be found at bonnieraitt.com.

Janet Jackson says son “would have to wait til he is 18” if he wants showbiz career

September 10, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Janet Jackson had an early start in the entertainment industry, but right now she has Control over 7-year-old son Eissa‘s life. If he wants in, she says he not only needs to make the decision on his own, he has to meet her age requirement.

“It’s about him. If that’s what he wants, but I would say that he has to wait until he’s of age and still make sure that’s what he wants to do,” Janet said on U.K. TV show Loose Women. “Whatever you do is very difficult. The industry is very tough, but he would have to wait till he is 18.”

She adds she’s grateful that her father saw her talent and pushed her toward the same career paths as her brothers aka The Jackson 5, but notes there are some things she didn’t get the chance to experience.

“I am happy because he obviously saw something that I didn’t, but I still wish I would’ve experienced college. Or, I should say university. I always wanted to experience that,” Janet said. “I was just a baby when my brothers were successful, so that’s all I’ve ever really known.”

Janet shares Eissa with ex-husband Wissam Al Mana.

David Gilmour surprises UK bar with performance of “Wish You Were Here”

September 10, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour surprised patrons at bar in East Sussex, England, getting up on stage to join his daughter Romany Gilmour for an impromptu performance.

David shared a clip of the performance on social media, which shows him walking into Neptune Live Music Bar and his daughter asking, “Would you like to come and upstage me?” When David says “yeah,” she replies, “OK, great.”

The clip then shows a snippet of the pair performing the Pink Floyd classic “Wish You Were Here.”

David captioned the post, “Very much enjoyed crashing @romanygilmour’s gig at the Neptune in Hove this evening after finishing tour rehearsals.”

Those rehearsals are for David’s upcoming live shows in support of his recently released solo album, Luck and Strange. The shows kick off Sept. 27 in Rome, Italy. He hits the States starting Oct. 25 in Los Angeles, with shows in New York to follow. A complete list of dates can be found at davidgilmour.com.