Classic Hits

The 2026 edition of Farm Aid is set to take place Sept. 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia, marking the annual benefit’s first time in the area.

Farm Aid board members Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff are all set to perform. Young, who canceled a 2026 tour of Europe and the U.K. to take a break, will be performing with his band The Chrome Hearts, while Matthews will perform with frequent collaborator Tim Reynolds.

Other artists on the bill include Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, I’m With Her, Mon Rovîa, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola and Chris Pierce.

“Family farmers grow our food and strengthen our communities. And when farmers struggle like they are now, communities feel it too,” says Farm Aid founder Willie Nelson. “The challenges farmers face threaten their livelihoods and put all of us at risk.”

He adds, “We’re bringing Farm Aid to Virginia to stand with the farmers and fishers who feed Hampton Roads and beyond — and to grow a food system that works for everyone.”

A presale begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, with tickets going on sale to the general public starting Friday at 10 a.m. More info can be found at FarmAid.org.

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John Fogerty is set to receive the Johnny Mercer Award, the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor, on Thursday in New York City. And yet with a career that includes iconic tunes like “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Fortunate Son” and more, Fogerty was recently left off The New York Times’ list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, something he doesn’t seem too upset about.

Asked about the snub by The Hollywood Reporter, Fogerty replied, “I mean, I would’ve been shocked but a lot of people weren’t mentioned. There’s only 30, and you have to be alive. It’s pretty tough.”

Along with Fogerty, artists like Billy Joel, Randy Newman and Stevie Nicks were left off the list.

“The funny thing is that everybody sees this through their own lens,” he continued. “There were all kinds of other really deserving people that weren’t on that list either.”

“It happens,” he adds. “Rolling Stone releases a list of the greatest records of all time. As time goes on, the records that I love or the artists that I love, more and more of them would be dropped away for newer things because the voters get younger and they vote for what they like. It’s kind of a natural progression.”

John Fogerty’s Legacy tour hits Lincoln, California, on June 26, and he has September dates booked with Steve Winwood. A complete list can be found at JohnFogerty.com.

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R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and Allman Brothers Band’s Chuck Leavell will headline an upcoming concert celebrating the music of Georgia.

A Night of Georgia Music will be held July 25 at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium in New York. It will have the pair, along with violinist Robert McDuffie, performing the music of artists native to the Peach State, including R.E.M., the Allman Brothers, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, The B-52s and Outkast. 

The evening will also feature students from Mercer University’s Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, with all the artists backed by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, conducted by Ward State.

An artist presale for tickets begins Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

More info can be found at CarnegieHall.org.

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Billy Joel is in a New York sports fan state of mind.

The New York Knicks come home to Madison Square Garden Monday night to continue their quest for their first championship since 1973. And since Billy spent 10 years as one of the Garden’s most high-profile residents, he’s posted a video message on Instagram cheering them on.

“Hi, the New York Knicks,” he says. “I’ve seen a lot of magic happen in this building for many years. But now it’s your turn to bring the championship back to the greatest city in the world: New York. Go for it!” 

As he and the people surrounding him begin to clap and cheer, we see the words “Knicks in 4!”

On Saturday night, Billy was back home in Long Island, New York, helping to induct his longtime booking agent, Dennis Arfa, into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Billy was a surprise guest, and in his speech, he said Arfa was the one who came up with the idea to have him play Carnegie Hall and Yankee Stadium, the idea of him doing the final shows at Shea Stadium prior to its demolition, the idea of him doing co-headline tours with Elton John and the concept of his Madison Square Garden residency.

The induction was part of the Hall of Fame’s Billy Joel Symposium, which featured two days of speakers.

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Bon Jovi is giving fans a chance to be a part of their upcoming Forever tour.

Frontman Jon Bon Jovi took to Instagram asking fans to submit videos of them singing the band’s iconic hit “Livin’ On A Prayer,” with a chance for their clips to be featured as part of the tour visuals.

“We are in preproduction getting ready for the tour, and you know what, we’ve decided that we need you,” he says in the clip. “What we need you to do is record yourself singing ‘Livin’ On A Prayer.’” He notes, “We want you on the big screen. This is your chance to be a star.”

“We’re happy to be back, looking forward to seeing you,” Jon adds.

Those interested need to submit their videos at BonJovi.com/livin-on-a-prayer by Friday.

“This song has always belonged to the fans and this is a celebration of the voices that have sung it across the world,” the website reads. “Sing the full song or just jump in on the chorus. We want to see your version.”

The site adds, “This is about expression and individuality. Unique ideas, environments, and perspectives encouraged.”

Bon Jovi’s Forever Tour, the band’s first trek since Jon Bon Jovi underwent vocal cord surgery in 2022, begins July 7 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

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To coincide with their new documentary, Earth, Wind & Fire has released a compilation album filled with the band’s biggest hits.

Earth, Wind & Fire Greatest Hits is out now digitally and on two-LP vinyl, with a limited-edition aquamarine vinyl being released Sept. 18 exclusively at Amazon. It is available for preorder now.

Earth, Wind & Fire Greatest Hits features such classic tracks as “September,” “Superstar,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Fantasy,” “After The Love Is Gone” and more.

And there’s more to come from Earth, Wind & Fire. Newly pressed vinyl editions of 1974’s Open Our Eyes, 1975’s That’s the Way of the World and 1979’s I Am, as well as the 2002 compilation The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire Remixes, will be released on July 17. All the albums will also be released digitally.

The new Earth, Wind & Fire documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s The Weight of The World), directed by Questlove, premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 3 and debuted Sunday on HBO. It is available now to stream on HBO Max.

Earth, Wind & Fire will next kick off a new leg of their Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Lionel Richie on June 24 in St. Paul, Minnesota. A complete list of dates can be found at EarthWindandFire.com.

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Rocker Steve Miller and Chic’s Nile Rodgers are among the artists confirmed as performers and/or presenters at the Songwriters Hall of Fame gala Thursday in New York City.

Other performers/presenters include The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik, Gavin DeGraw, actor Jeremy Renner, Descendants star Kylie Cantrall, singer Tamar Braxton and “Tell It to My Heart” singer Taylor Dayne.

KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are set to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. John Fogerty, who was inducted into the SHOF in 2005, will receive the Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award.

Other 2026 inductees include Kenny Loggins; Alanis Morissette; Taylor Swift; Walter Afanasieff, who co-wrote multiple Mariah Carey hits; Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, who co-wrote hits for Beyoncé and Rihanna; and Terry Britten and Graham Lyle, who co-wrote some of Tina Turner’s biggest hits.

It is not known who will be presenting or performing in honor of which inductees.

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Bob Dylan launched the latest leg of his North American tour last week, and he’s been adding some deep cuts to his set.

During his Saturday show at Chateau St. Michelle Winery Amphitheatre in Woodinville, Washington, Dylan opened the show with a performance of “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” from 1975’s The Basement Tapes. It was the first time he’s performed the track live since November 2012, according to setlist.fm.

But that wasn’t the only time he dug deep into his catalog for his set. During opening night in Troutdale, Oregon, on June 4, Dylan performed “Baby, Won’t You Be My Baby,” a track from 2014’s compilation The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete. It was the first time he’s ever performed the song live.  

Dylan is set to play Eugene, Oregon, on Tuesday, and has dates confirmed through Aug. 1 in Nashville, Tennessee. A complete list of dates can be found at BobDylan.com.

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Bruce Springsteen was on hand Saturday for the ribbon cutting at the new Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music on the campus of Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey.

“I took a short tour through the center the other day and when I came out, I was thrilled that I wasn’t dead,” Springsteen said in a speech, according to video posted to YouTube by the Asbury Park Press.

He thanked those who helped put together and support the building, and noted, “I’m particularly thrilled to be sharing this building with all this wonderful musical history and with so many of my artists, teachers, mentors, and heroes.”

“And I look at my work life as a very small link in a mighty chain,” he added. “And those who visit here will get a sense of that chain through the lives, work, and vision of all these historic, historic artists. I’m also glad and relieved that fans will now have another place to go instead of my house.”

The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music is set to open to the public on Saturday. Tickets and more information can be found at SpringsteeenCenter.org.

The opening celebration included two concerts, dubbed Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us, at Monmouth University on June 4 and 5. The concerts featured performances by Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Public Enemy, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne and others. 

According to setlist.fm, at Friday’s show Springsteen performed Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock”; Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” with Crow; and Eddie Floyd’s “Raise Your Hand” with Stevie Van Zandt. He ended the set with his own track, “Land of Hope and Dreams.”

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Paul McCartney has another top-10 hit on his hands.

The two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s latest solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, debuts at #5 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart this week.

McCartney moved 63,000 equivalent album units to land at #5. Of that number, 59,500 were from complete album sales, which also puts The Boys of Dungeon Lane at #1 on the Top Album Sales chart this week.

The album, which also debuted at #1 on the U.K. Official Chart, is now McCartney’s 22nd Billboard 200 top-10, with that list including the eight number ones he had with Wings. McCartney’s last top-10 album was 2021’s McCartney III, which peaked at #2.

And McCartney is not done promoting The Boys of Dungeon Lane. He’s scheduled to sit down for a special conversation about the album on Wednesday at Roundhouse in London.

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