Grateful Dead has landed a new chart record, thanks to their latest archival release, Dave’s Picks, Volume 49: Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford U., Palo Alto, CA (4/27/85 & 4/28/85).
The set debuted at #25 on the Billboard200 album chart this week, making it the legendary band’s 59th top 40 release. With that milestone, The Dead have now landed the record for most top 40 charting albums, surpassing ElvisPresley and Frank Sinatra, who both have 58.
Named after The Dead’s archivist David Lemieux, the new Dave’s Pick entry features two hometown performances and five hours of music. Since launching in 2022, 41 Dave’s Pick releases have landed in the top 40.
“This could be the most unlikely and unexpected record in music history, and is a testament to a few things,” Lemieux shares. “First and foremost is the exceptional and consistent quality of the Grateful Dead’s more than 2,000 live shows. On the heels of this is the loyalty and passion of the many Dead Heads who have made this record possible.”
He adds, “It’s an honor and privilege to work for this community, and our aim is to keep building on this record by delivering the quality of recordings Dead Heads have come to expect for many years ahead.”
There’s a good chance The Dead can extend that record. They’ve already announced Dave’s Pick Volume 50, which will feature a concert recorded May 3, 1977, at the Palladium in New York City.
Kevin Mazur/MTV VMAs 2021/Getty Images for MTV/ ViacomCBS
David Lee Roth appears to be taking another shot at Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen.
In a new video titled “Family Therapy,” Roth is seemingly apologizing for his last video, where he ranted about his displeasure working with Wolfgang in Van Halen.
“I’ve upset some people and I love my old rock band, and I miss Ed. And I didn’t mean to upset anybody,” he starts saying before breaking into a mock cry and stating, “Psych … F*** you.”
He then went into a bit where Wolfgang was in therapy complaining about not “getting any streams.” When he asked why, Roth as the doctor noted, “I think you’re old enough for you to truly understand, your album was DOA.” He shared, “Son, commercially speaking, you got you’re a** handed to you.”
The whole bit seems to be referring to the final Van Halen album, A Different Kind of Truth, which featured both Roth and Wolfgang. It was pulled from streaming services in October 2022, and Roth suggests it’s stayed that way because the other members of Van Halen didn’t want to pay for lawyers to fight it.
He also clearly makes his feelings about the album known, using an analogy of Muhammad Ali’s final fights.
“Nobody wants to remember them because they were no fun,” Roth says.
Meanwhile, Van Halen’s other frontman Sammy Hagar has weighed in on Roth’s comments about him and Wolfgang.
“Look, if you really think about what he said, it’s like do I sense a little tinge of jealousy in there or something. Does he feel like he’s left out or something?” he tells People. “I mean, honestly, the only thing I can say without being cruel is he needs to find a new dispensary That one’s not working for him.”
Ahead of the Grammy Awards, Julien’s Auctions held their annual live MusiCares auction at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, raising over $500,000 for the organization, the charitable arm of the Recording Academy, which provides health and human services to the music community.
One of the highlights of the auction was a Yamaha C3 Baby Grand Piano the late Fleetwood Mac co-founder, co-singer and songwriter Christine McVie played onstage, which sold for $50,800, well above the initial estimate of between $20,000 and $30,000.
Other items sold at the auction include: MusiCares Person of the Year Jon Bon Jovi’s stage played 2018 Takamine black EF341SC acoustic guitar, which sold for $44,450, and a signed hardcover copy of PaulMcCartney’s book, The Lyrics: 1965 to Present, which sold for $16,250.
There were also loads of other guitars that brought in the big bucks, including Metallica frontman JamesHetfield’s autographed signature ESP LTD Vulture model guitar, which sold for $32,500; a guitar signed by Slash’s Guns N’ Roses, which went for $16,250; Joe Walsh’s personally signed White Fang ES-125 TDC guitar, which sold for $16,250 and a Lenny Kravitz signed 2022 Gibson 80s Flying V, which sold for $22,750.
Stevie Nicks has announced some more tour dates for 2024. The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer just added 12 more shows to her schedule, with new shows happening in Texas, California, Connecticut, New York and more.
While Nicks’ 2024 tour kicks off February 10 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the new shows start May 7 in St. Louis, Missouri, with dates running through June 18 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her schedule ends June 21 with a co-headlining date with Billy Joel at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
A ticket presale for all newly added shows kicks off Thursday, February 8, with the general onsale set to begin Friday, February 9, at 10 a.m. A complete list of dates can be found at stevienicksofficial.com.
And speaking of Stevie, one of her Barbie dolls sold for big bucks at the MusiCares auction, which took place at Julien’s Auctions over the weekend. An autographed Stevie Barbie in its original box sold for $7,800, well above the original estimate of $300. Proceeds from the auction benefit MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s charity arm that provides health and human services to the music community.
Billy Joel once sang, “I know the game/you’ll forget my name/I won’t be here in another year/if I don’t stay on the charts.” Well, Billy’s just returned to the charts for the first time in 26 years, and his name wasn’t forgotten in the interim.
“Turn the Lights Back On,” Billy’s first pop single since 2007, blasted onto Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart at #11 after just one day of release. He was last on the chart in March 1998, with a cover of the 1963 Freddie Scott hit “Hey Girl,” which peaked at #13. The last time he was top 10 on the chart was in 1997, with his cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Make You Feel My Love.”
Despite his absence from the charts as an artist, Billy did appear on it as a writer just last year, thanks to Fall Out Boy‘s cover of his 1989 hit “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”
Billy performed twice at the Grammy Awards Sunday: He sang “Turn the Lights Back On” and then closed the show with “You May Be Right.”
U2 shared a performance of their latest single, “Atomic City,” at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, and they followed that up by releasing another new remix of the tune, this time by DJ/producer David Guetta.
This is the second “Atomic City” remix U2 has released. The first, from producer Mike WiLL Made-It, dropped in December.
U2’s Grammy performance marked the first televised broadcast from the new state-of-the-art venue the Sphere, where U2 is currently headlining their 40-show residency, U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere.
The Irish rockers released “Atomic City” in September just ahead of the residency kickoff. It was accompanied by a video shot on Vegas’ Fremont Street, the same location where they shot the video for “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” back in 1987. The clip includes drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who has been sitting out of the residency as he recovers from surgery.
U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere is set to run until March 2. A complete list of dates can be found at u2.com.
After more than 60 years in music, Paul Simon announced his decision to retire from touring.
The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer said time away from his family and the death of his longtime guitarist, Vincent Nguini, played a role in his decision.
But Simon didn’t give up the road without one more tour. In May of the same year, he launched Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, a four-month trek that took him to North America and Europe, and wrapped in his home borough of Queens, New York.
While the show marked the end of Simon’s final tour, he said he wasn’t giving up performing all together and suggested he could perform live again. He did just that in August 2019, when he headlined San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival.
The 66th annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah, aired live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS Sunday, February 4.
Here’s the complete list of winners:
Record of the Year
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
Album of the Year Midnights, Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
“What Was I Made For?” [From the Motion Picture Barbie] — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist
Victoria Monét
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Theron Thomas
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Ghost in the Machine,” SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), Fred again..
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Theron Thomas
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Ghost in the Machine,” SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers
Best Pop Vocal Album Midnights, Taylor Swift
Best Pop Dance Recording
“Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), Fred again..
Best Rock Album This Is Why, Paramore
Best Alternative Music Performance
“This Is Why,” Paramore
Best Alternative Music Album The Record, boygenius
Best Rock Performance
“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius
Best Metal Performance
“72 Seasons,” Metallica
Best Rock Song
“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius
Best R&B Performance
“ICU,” Coco Jones
Best R&B Album Jaguar II, Victoria Monét
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Good Morning,” PJ Morton ft. Susan Carol
Best R&B Song
“Snooze,” SZA
Best Progressive R&B Album SOS, SZA
Best Melodic Rap Performance
“All My Life,” Lil Durk featuring J. Cole
Best Rap Performance
“Scientists & Engineers,” Killer Mike ft. André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane
Best Rap Song
“Scientists & Engineers,” Killer Mike ft. André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane
Best Rap Album Michael, Killer Mike
Best Country Solo Performance
“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
Best Country Album Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves
Best Country Song
“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
Best American Roots Performance
“Eve Was Black,” Allison Russell
Best Americana Performance
“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark ft. Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Song
“Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Best Americana Album Weathervanes, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Best Bluegrass Album City of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Best Traditional Blues Album All My Love for You, Bobby Rush
Best Contemporary Blues Album Blood Harmony, Larkin Poe
Best Folk Album Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live], Joni Mitchell
Best Regional Roots Music Album Live: Orpheum Theater Nola, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Best Latin Pop Album X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno
Best African Music Performance
“Water,” Tyla
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television) Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson, composer
Best Song Written for Visual Media
“What Was I Made For?” from Barbie the Album, Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano) Génesis, Peso Pluma
Best Alternative Jazz Album The Omnichord Real Book, Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Jazz Performance
“Tight,” Samara Joy
Best Jazz Vocal Album How Love Begins, Nicole Zuraitis
Best Jazz Instrumental Album The Winds of Change, Billy Childs
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Basie Swings The Blues, The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart
Best Latin Jazz Album El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Bewitched, Laufey
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album As We Speak, Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer ft. Rakesh Chaurasia
Best Musical Theater Album Some Like It Hot
Best Gospel Performance/Song
“All Things,” Kirk Franklin
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“Your Power,” Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Best Gospel Album All Things New: Live In Orlando, Tye Tribbett
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Church Clothes 4, Lecrae
Best Roots Gospel Album Echoes of the South, Blind Boys of Alabama
Best Música Urbana Album Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album Vida Cotidiana, Juanes
Best Tropical Latin Album 14 de Mayo 2022, de Puerto Rico
Best Global Music Performance Pashto, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain ft. Rakesh Chaurasia
Best Global Music Album This Moment, Shakti
Best Reggae Album Colors of Royal, Julian Marley & Antacus
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Carla Patullo ft. Tonality and the Scorchio Quartet, So She Howls
Best Children’s Music Album
123 Andrés, We Grow Together Preschool Songs
Best Comedy Album
Dave Chappelle, What’s In A Name?
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
J. Ivy, The Light Inside
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Michelle Obama, The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Various Artists, Barbie The Album
Best Music Video
The Beatles, “I’m Only Sleeping”
Best Music Film Moonage Daydream
Best Recording Package
Luke Brooks & James Theseus Buck, Stumpwork
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package For The Birds: The Birdsong Project
Best Album Notes
Various Artists, Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (album notes by Robert Gordon & Deanie Parker)
Best Historical Album
Various Artists, Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary American Composers
Producer of the Year, Classical
Elaine Martone
Best Remixed Recording
Depeche Mode, “Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)”
Best Immersive Audio Album
Alicia Keys, The Diary of Alicia Keys
Best Instrumental Composition
John Williams, “Helena’s Theme”
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
The String Revolution ft. Tommy Emmanuel, “Folsom Prison Blues”
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
Säje ft. Jacob Collier, “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”
Best Orchestral Performance
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Adès: Dante
Best Opera Recording
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, “Blanchard: Champion”
Best Choral Performance
Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir, “Saariaho: Reconnaissance”
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Roomful Of Teeth, Rough Magic
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra), “The American Project”
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra), Walking In The Dark
Best Classical Compendium
Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith & A.B. Spellman, Passion For Bach And Coltrane
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry & Roomful Of Teeth), “Montgomery: Rounds”
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Joni Mitchell has won another Grammy. The 80-year-old took home Best Folk Album during Sunday’s award ceremony for Joni Mitchell at Newport Live, a recording of her 2022 comeback concert at the Newport Folk Festival.
Joni now has 12 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award; she performed at the Grammys for the first time Sunday, the classic “Both Sides Now” with the help of Brandi Carlile and others.
Other winners Sunday included The Beatles’ animated video for the Revolver track “I’m Only Sleeping” for Best Music Video, the David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream for Best Music Film and Metallica‘s 72 Seasons for Best Metal Performance.
And Joni wasn’t the only knockout performance of the evening.
U2 gave fans a taste of their Sphere residency, rocking out to their latest single, “Atomic City,” marking the first televised broadcast from the Las Vegas venue.
Tracy Chapman joined Luke Combs for her classic “Fast Car.” It came 35 years after she first performed the song at the Grammys.
Remembering the artists we lost this year, the in memoriam kicked off with Stevie Wonder performing a duet of “For Once In My Life” with a video of Tony Bennett, followed by Stevie’s take of “The Best is Yet To Come.”
Annie Lennox paid tribute to Sinéad O’Connor with a rendition of “Noting Compares 2 U,” although she ended her performance on a controversial note, shouting, “Artists for cease-fire! Peace in the world!”
The segment wrapped with a tribute to Tina Turner, introduced by Oprah Winfrey. Fantasia Barrino brought the house down with her performance of “Proud Mary,” which got the audience up and dancing.
And finally, Billy Joel brought his new single, “Turn the Lights Back on,” to the Grammys and closed the show with his classic “You May Be Right.”
Jon Bon Jovi was honored on February 2 in Los Angeles as the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Person of the Year — with a whole host of A-listers on hand to celebrate the rocker for his philanthropic work.
Bruce Springsteen‘s appearance seemed to be up in the air following the news of his mother Adele’s passing on January 31, but he still attended, which meant a lot to Jon.
“I want to thank my hero, my friend, my mentor Bruce Springsteen,” he said, according to Forbes. “Bruce’s mom passed two days ago. When I first got the news, he was already on the airplane on the way here. But he wanted to be here tonight for MusiCares. And he wanted to be here tonight for me, and I’m forever grateful to you.”
The night kicked off with Bon Jovi performing “Legendary,” a song from their upcoming album, although despite rumors original guitarist Richie Sambora would join the festivities, he was a no-show. The band was then joined by Springsteen for “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” and Springsteen’s “The Promised Land.”
Among the night’s other performances: Melissa Etheridge and Larkin Poe performed “Blaze of Glory”; Jelly Roll performed “Bad Medicine”; Maneskin‘s Damiano David sang “Keep the Faith”; Mammoth WVH played “Have a Nice Day”; Sammy Hagar performed “You Give Love A Bad Name,” and Shania Twain sang “Bed of Roses.”
In addition to the performers, Paul McCartney was in the house for the celebration, with Lenny Kravitz, Gayle King, and Kylie Minogue acting as presenters. Jon also got video wishes from the likes of John Mayer, Pink, Ed Sheeran and others.
The night ended with Bon Jovi back on the stage, joined by many of the night’s performers, for a finale of the Jersey rockers’ biggest hit, “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
