ZZ Top announces first European tour in two years

ZZ Top announces first European tour in two years
ZZ Top announces first European tour in two years
ZZ Top The Big One! tour admat/(courtesy of ZZ Top)

ZZ Top is headed overseas in 2026. The Texas rockers have announced dates for The Big One! tour, their first European trek in two years.

The 23-show tour will have them hitting 13 countries, with a mix of festival appearances and headlining dates. The tour starts June 13 in Estonia and hits Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland and France before wrapping July 25 in Cadiz, Spain, which is one of several shows in that country.

“We love playing for European audiences as they’re among the most energetic and enthusiastic we’ve encountered over the course of the past five decades,” ZZ Top frontman Billy F Gibbons says. 

He adds, “We predict a circumstance of direct communication because there’s no language barrier when the common parlance is to let it rock.”

A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at ZZTop.com.

The announcement of the European shows follows the news that ZZ Top will be playing several dates in 2026 with country star Dwight Yoakam. Their Dos Amigos Tour kicks off March 26 in Brookings, South Dakota.

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R.E.M.’s ‘Chronic Town’ and ‘Murmur’ getting audio upgrade

R.E.M.’s ‘Chronic Town’ and ‘Murmur’ getting audio upgrade
R.E.M.’s ‘Chronic Town’ and ‘Murmur’ getting audio upgrade
R.E.M.’s ‘Chronic Town’ and ‘Murmur’ Definitive Sound Series/ (Interscope-Capitol Records)

Two of R.E.M.’s early releases are getting a sound upgrade.

The band’s debut EP, Chronic Town, and their debut album, Murmur, are being reissued as part of Interscope-Capitol Records’ Definitive Sound Series.

The albums will be released together as a two-LP, 180-gram high-definition vinyl set, with the upgraded audio sourced from the original analog master tapes. Mitch Easter, who produced both releases, and Don Dixon, who co-produced Murmur, were directly involved with the upgrade.

The set will be released Dec. 10 and is limited to a one-time-only pressing of 3,000 copies. It is available for preorder now.

Released in August 1982, Chronic Town was a five-track collection that was recorded following the success of their first single, “Radio Free Europe.” A demo of the EP helped land R.E.M. a record deal with I.R.S. records.

Their debut album, Murmur, was released in April 1983 and debuted at #36 on the Billboard Albums chart. It was a huge hit with critics and went on to be certified Gold by the RIAA.

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‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’, ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ earn Movies for Grownups Awards nominations

‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’, ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ earn Movies for Grownups Awards nominations
‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’, ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ earn Movies for Grownups Awards nominations
Poster for ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’/(20th Century Studios)

While we have to wait a little longer to see if it gets any Oscar nominations, the Bruce Springsteen biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere has been recognized by at least one award show.

The film earned two nominations for this year’s Movies for Grownups Awards, put on by AARP. The awards honor “outstanding films and television projects that celebrate the voices and stories of the 50-plus,” according to a release.

Deliver Me From Nowhere, which follows Springsteen as he makes the 1982 solo album Nebraska, earned a best director nod for Scott Cooper, while the film was also nominated for best period film.

Also recognized this year is the Led Zeppelin doc Becoming Led Zeppelin, which is nominated for best documentary.

The annual Movies for Grownups Awards ceremony will take place on Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. Tony and Emmy winner Alan Cumming returns to host the awards show, which will be broadcast by Great Performances on PBS on Feb. 22.

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Ace Frehley-autographed ‘Smoker’ guitar up for auction

Ace Frehley-autographed ‘Smoker’ guitar up for auction
Ace Frehley-autographed ‘Smoker’ guitar up for auction
Ace Frehley performs in concert at Haute Spot Event Venue on July 13, 2023 in Cedar Park, Texas. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)

KISS fans have a chance to get their hands on a guitar previously owned by the late Ace Frehley.

The site Gotta Have Rock and Roll is auctioning off Ace’s Sunburst Gibson Les Paul “Smoker” guitar, which he used during KISS’ 1999 Psycho Circus tour and their 2000 Farewell tour.

The stage-used guitar, which is signed by Ace, is modified to produce the rocker’s signature “Smoking” effects and includes a letter of authenticity from Frehley. The description notes the instrument was part of the rocker’s personal collection and “represents a unique piece of rock history from an influential period of his career.”

Bidding on the guitar is open until Dec. 5, with a minimum bid of $100,000 required. The guitar is expected to sell for between $150,000 and $200,000.

Frehley, founding guitarist of KISS and a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, died Oct. 16 at the age of 74.

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America announces 2026 tour dates

America announces 2026 tour dates
America announces 2026 tour dates
Rock band America performs onstage at The Canyon Club on October 26, 2019 in Agoura Hills, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

America is hitting the road on a new tour in 2026.

The band, best known for such classic tracks as “A Horse with No Name” and “Sister Golden Hair,” has announced dates for The Happy Trails Tour 2026. The trek will kick off March 7 in Highland, California, and wrap May 23 in Modesto, California, with more dates to be added.

A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at AmericaTheBand.com.

Original America member Dewey Bunnell is currently leading the group, following fellow original band member Gerry Beckley’s retirement from touring in 2024.

Bunnell and Beckley were announced as nominees for the 2026 class of the Songwriters Hall of Fame in October. Nominees become eligible 20 years after their first commercial release of a song. Inductees will be celebrated at a gala event in New York City next year.

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The Who announces ‘Tommy: Live at Royal Albert Hall’ global watch party

The Who announces ‘Tommy: Live at Royal Albert Hall’ global watch party
The Who announces ‘Tommy: Live at Royal Albert Hall’ global watch party
The Who on stage during a fundraising concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in London. (Photo by David Jensen/PA Images via Getty Images)

The Who is revisiting their 2017 performance of Tommy at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and they want their fans to join them.

The band has announced a Tommy: Live at Royal Albert Hall global watch party streaming Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. ET on Lounges.tv. Proceeds will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to providing specialized treatment and support for young people with cancer.

The stream will include a Q&A with frontman Roger Daltrey, and fans will have a chance to win prizes by answering questions in the chat. Prizes up for grabs include a five-seater box to a future Teenage Cancer Trust show at Royal Albert Hall, a pair of stalls tickets to one of the future shows and a Tommy poster autographed by Daltrey.

Tickets for the watch party are available now.

The Who performed Tommy at Royal Albert Hall on March 30 and April 1, 2017. While previous performances of Tommy left out a few songs, these shows marked the first time they performed the rock opera in its entirety.

Tommy: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, a recording of the April 1 show, was later released on DVD and Blu-ray, and as a two-CD and three-LP set.

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ZZ Top announces first tour dates of 2026

ZZ Top announces first tour dates of 2026
ZZ Top announces first tour dates of 2026
Elwood Francis (L) and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top perform on stage at Viejas Casino & Resort on November 02, 2025 in Alpine, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)

ZZ Top’s first shows of 2026 have been revealed.

The Texas rockers are set to hit the road with county star Dwight Yoakam on the Dos Amigos Tour, which will have them playing shows in the Midwest, South and East Coast.

The 15-date tour starts March 26 in Brookings, South Dakota, with stops in Nebraska, Kansas, Alabama, South Carolina and more, before wrapping May 23 in Huntington, West Virginia.

A ticket presale is underway, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

ZZ Top has four more shows left on their 2025 schedule and are set to play Wichita Falls, Texas, on Tuesday. The tour wraps Nov. 22 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Frontman Billy F Gibbons also has a trio of shows taking place Dec.18-20 at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California.

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David Byrne releases new single ‘T Shirt’

David Byrne releases new single ‘T Shirt’
David Byrne releases new single ‘T Shirt’
Artwork for David Byrne single ‘T Shirt’ (Matador Records)

David Byrne is out with a new single.

The Talking Heads frontman has released the new track “T Shirt,” which he co-wrote with producer Brian Eno. The song is described as “a classic piece of electro-pop wrapped in lightly humorous, but always earnest, political commentary.”

The video for the song features a drawing of a T-shirt with a variety of messages, including “well-behaved women seldom make history,” “you always have a choice,” “embrace differences” and “fight today for a better tomorrow.”

“T Shirt” is available now via digital outlets.

Byrne released the new studio album Who Is the Sky? in September, and while “T Shirt” isn’t on the album, he has been performing it during his current tour in support of the album.

He’s set to play the final night of a three-night stand in San Francisco on Tuesday. A complete list of dates can be found at DavidByrne.com.

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Carlos Santana announces 2026 leg of Oneness tour

Carlos Santana announces 2026 leg of Oneness tour
Carlos Santana announces 2026 leg of Oneness tour
Carlos Santana Oneness tour admat (Courtesy of Santana)

Carlos Santana has announced a 2026 leg of his Oneness tour.

The 78-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has booked 10 new shows, kicking off March 28 in Thackerville, Oklahoma, with stops in Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Florida. The tour wraps April 11 in Hollywood, Florida.

A fan presale for tickets begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.

Ahead of the tour, Santana will be returning to the stage in Las Vegas. He’ll launch the first 2026 dates of his An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live residency on Jan. 21 at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

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

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Pink Floyd releases 25-minute ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ from ‘Wish You Were Here 50’

Pink Floyd releases 25-minute ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ from ‘Wish You Were Here 50’
Pink Floyd releases 25-minute ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ from ‘Wish You Were Here 50’
Cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here 50’/ (Sony Music)

Pink Floyd’s iconic album Wish You Were Here begins and ends with the two-part track “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” a tribute to their late bandmate Syd Barrett. Now the two parts have been put together as one complete song.

The band has just released “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (pts. 1-9, New Stereo Mix),” which marks the first time the song has been released as one continuous piece. The 25-minute track, newly mixed in stereo by James Guthrie, is part of Wish You Where Here 50, Pink Floyd’s 50th anniversary reissue of the album, which is dropping Dec. 12.

To coincide with the release, comedian and Great British Baking Show co-host Noel Fielding has created a commissioned set of original paintings inspired by Barrett’s iconic image.

“I was pretty young when my affinity with Pink Floyd and Syd started,” Fielding shares. “What’s amazing about Pink Floyd, especially with Wish You Were Here, is that the artwork was as good as the music.” He adds, “It is a masterpiece, that album cover, and that album. It’s a masterpiece. And it’s based on Syd Barrett, who is a walking masterpiece.”

Wish You Were Here 50 will be released in a variety of configurations, including a three-LP or two-CD set, with the original album plus 25 bonus tracks, including six tracks that have never been released before. There will also be a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos and 5.1 Surround mixes of the album; three concert films from the band’s 1975 tour; and a short film by famed art designer and Hipgnosis co-founder Storm Thorgerson.

All formats are available for preorder now.


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