Pink Floyd to mark 50th anniversary of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ with new box set & more

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

This year marks the 50 anniversary of Pink Floyd’s iconic album The Dark Side of the Moon, and they are celebrating the occasion with a new box set, and a whole lot more.

The Dark Side of the Moon deluxe box set will be released March 24 on CD and gatefold vinyl, and will include a newly remastered version of the album, as well as Blu-Ray and DVD audio with the original mix and remastered stereo versions. There will also be a new Blu-Ray disc and CD of the classic concert “‘The Dark Side of the Moon — Live at Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974.” You can pre-order the box set now.

Also on March 24, the Wembley concert will be issued on its own for first time, both on CD and, for the first time, on vinyl. And, as previously reported, there will also be a new book, Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon: 50th Anniversary, featuring rare and previously unseen photos taken during the Dark Side of the Moon tour, which ran from 1972 to 1975. The book will also be included in the box set.

The band is also marking anniversary with a new competition, asking fans to create animated music videos for any of the songs on the album. Entries are due by November 30 and animators can enter up to 10 videos, although only one per song. The winner will be selected by a panel of experts, which includes Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason. PinkFloyd.com has more info.

But that’s not all. In March, a new The Dark Side of the Moon planetarium exhibit is set to launch at planetariums around the world, featuring 42 minutes of the album accompanied by visuals of the solar system.

Jennifer Lopez teases next album, whether she’d ever star in another movie with Ben Affleck

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez was all smiles at the premiere of her new film, Shotgun Wedding — and shared a few things about her new album and a potential third movie with husband Ben Affleck.

Speaking with Variety, the hitmaker teased This Is Me… Now, which will become her first album in nine years. Although she has yet to confirm a release date, she did reveal, “The album is done and we’re just prepping the best time to put it out and roll it out little by little and deciding how we want to do that.”

“It’s such a special project because it’s sort of a culmination of this 20-year journey from one album to the next,” she continued. This Is Me… Now was announced on the 20th anniversary of her This Is Me… Then effort, which was about her romance with now-husband Affleck.

The couple first dated in the early 2000s before calling off their engagement in 2004. They rekindled their romance in 2021 and wed in July.

It was previously announced the new effort will be filled with “confessional songs, reflections on the trials of her past, [and] upbeat celebrations of love with her signature powerhouse vocals.”

On the topic of reunions, Jennifer was asked if she’d be interested in starring in another movie with her husband, to which she responded, “Maybe, maybe! Absolutely!” She and Ben co-starred in the 2003 movie Gigli and the 2004 film Jersey Girl, and Jennifer hinted she’s aware fans want them to pull a hat trick.

But whether or not they’ll have time to do a third movie together has yet to be seen. Said Jen, “We talk. We love being together and working together so, yeah, you never know.”

Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman “taking a break” from band: “My mental health has rapidly deteriorated”

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman is “taking a break” from the band to care for his mental health.

In a statement posted overnight to the “Dance, Dance” group’s Twitter, Trohman writes, “Neil Young once howled that it’s better to burn out than to fade away. But I can tell you unequivocally that burning out is dreadful.”

“Without divulging all the details, I must disclose that my mental health has rapidly deteriorated over the past several years,” Trohman continues. “So, to avoid fading away and never returning, I will be taking a break from work which regrettably includes stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell.”

Trohman adds that the decision pains him, especially since Fall Out Boy just announced a new album, So Much (for) Stardust.

“So, the question remains: Will I return to the fold? Absolutely, one-hundred percent,” Trohman assures. “In the meantime, I must recover which means putting myself and my mental health first.”

He concludes, “Thank you to everyone, including my bandmates and family, for understanding and respecting this difficult, but necessary, decision.”

Trohman previously opened up about his mental health in his memoir, None of This Rocks, which was released last year. He also hosted a mental health podcast called I Hate Myself.

Meanwhile, Fall Out Boy performed without Trohman Wednesday night on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, giving the live debut to the lead So Much (for) Stardust single, “Love from the Other Side.” The album is due out March 24.

“This is unbelievable”: Jon Bon Jovi celebrates one billion streams of “Livin on a Prayer”

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

When Bon Jovi released “Livin’ on a Prayer” back in 1986, the idea of digital music platforms didn’t exist, but the hit single has since gone on to become one of the most-streamed songs from the ’80s. And on Instagram Wednesday, Jon Bon Jovi celebrated its official Spotify certification for one billion streams.

While opening up a large box containing his new Spotify award — which looks like a shiny metal bowl attached to a plaque — an amused Jon says, “Streaming is the new ‘it,’ right? This is unbelievable, and I’m really grateful for it.”

After reading the words on the plaque — “one billion streams for ‘Livin’ on a Prayer'” — Jon pronounces the honor to be “pretty cool,” and, addressing the fans, says, “Thank you, you guys!”

“Livin’ on a Prayer” is Bon Jovi’s signature song: It was their second number-one hit, and has been certified three-times RIAA Platinum for sales of three million units. It has 996 million views on YouTube.

The Rolling Stones join TikTok

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The Rolling Stones have taken the next step on social media – they’ve joined TikTok. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers posted their first videos Thursday, sharing a trio of classic clips featuring songs like “Start Me Up,” “Angie” and “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It).”

Stones fans on TikTok can now access the band’s full catalog on the platform, and will be able to create covers and remixes using tunes available on the TikTok Sounds Page. There will also be a new guest playlist on TikTok curated by the band, including 44 classic Stones tracks.

With the “Start Me Up” clip, the band urged fans to “move like the Stones” and share their creations. The “Angie” clip had them asking fans to share “covers, remixes, guitar solos, mashups…,” and for “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll,” the Stones urged fans to dress like them, with the band promising to share their favorite creations on their page.

TikTok has launched the official hashtag, #TheRollingStones, to celebrate the band joining the site and make it easier for fans to share their creations.

And that’s not all. Stones frontman Mick Jagger is also planning to launch his own TikTok page, making him the second member of the band on the site after Keith Richards, who joined last year.

It’ll be a full-blown situation as Dustin Lynch plays mayor at Crash My Playa

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Long ago, Luke Bryan proclaimed Dustin Lynch the mayor of Crash My Playa, and today, Luke and Dustin gather their kingdom together for the annual getaway vacation in Riviera Cancun, Mexico.

Of course, the “Party Mode” hitmaker will once again host the pool party that forever cemented his title.

“First kickoff, yeah, [of] New Year’s is Crash My Playa,” Dustin tells ABC Audio. “You know how that’s gonna go: a week of pirating in Mexico. We’ll need a month vacation after that thing.”

“The pool situation down there,” he continues, “we started having phone calls and meetings about that show, the pool party, in July. A lot goes into putting this production on, so we don’t take it lightly. It’s a couple hours and a half of craziness, but there’s a lot of intention as it goes.”

If you’re not lucky enough to be at Crash My Playa, Dustin plans to take his famous water party from the Caribbean to Sin City.

“We’re gonna announce another Pool Situation in Vegas,” he reveals. “We’re bringin’ that monster from Mexico and putting it in Vegas for a weekend. And that’s gonna be popping off in ’23 for sure.”

Previously, Dustin’s Pool Situation in Vegas has been a sell-out.

This weekend, he’ll be hanging out with Chris Stapleton, Cole Swindell, Lionel Richie, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Chase Rice and Dylan Scott, just to name some of the Crash My Playa talent.

From ABBA to the Beatles, Gene Simmons shares 10 albums that changed his life

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

In a new interview with Goldmine magazine, KISS’ Gene Simmons is revealing the 10 albums that changed his life. And folks may be a bit surprised by some of the records that made the list.

“As a preamble, when I first came to America (from Israel) as an eight-and-a-half-year-old boy, this was pre-Beatles. I came to America with my mother in 1958, and I had never heard of rock and roll, and I actually had never seen a television set,” he tells the mag. “The first music I heard in America was Chuck Berry and Little Richard and all that.”

Albums on Gene’s list include greatest hits albums by Ray Charles, Dave Clark Five, Patsy Cline, James Brown and ABBA; 1968’s The Beatles aka The White Album; Jeff Beck Group‘s Truth/Beck-Ola; Led Zeppelin’s 1969 self-titled debut; and The Who’s Tommy.

Of course one of his band’s albums had to make the list, as well, with Gene picking KISS’ 1979 release, Destroyer, noting, “Some of those songs have survived the test of time. It was a strange period. It was the beginning of the end, really. The band started to fall to pieces way back in ’76.”

As for people who may be surprised that ABBA’s Greatest Hits made the list, Gene notes that what he loves “is the ability to craft songs that are forever.” He adds, “So if I’m riding in my car and ABBA music comes on, I turn it up and that’s the sign of greatness. Undeniable songwriting. You just can’t touch it.”

Survey reveals the guests, songs fans want featured during Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Over the years, Rihanna has collaborated with many other artists, from Jay-Z and Maroon 5 to Coldplay, Eminem and Drake. But a new survey reveals that the surprise guest most fans want to see Rihanna bring onstage during her halftime performance is someone who hasn’t graced the Super Bowl stage since 2001.

VegasInsider.com polled just over 1,100 people to find out who they’d most want to see Rihanna collaborate with at the big game. The winner, with 22.6% of the vote, was Britney Spears. The two teamed up back in 2011 for a remix of Ri-Ri’s single “S&M,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second-most-wanted guest was Eminem, followed by Rihanna’s baby daddy, A$AP Rocky.

Shockingly, Chris Brown tied for fifth place with 11.48% of the vote.

As for the song most people want to hear Rihanna perform, her 2012 number-one hit “Diamonds” topped the list, followed by “Don’t Stop the Music,” the Kanye West collab “All of the Lights” and, oddly, her 2015 patriotic single “American Oxygen.”

As previously reported, one of the musical directors of the show, Adam Blackstone, told Rolling Stone that the halftime show will “be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before,” adding that Rihanna “can do no wrong with the set list because she has massive, massive, massive hits … it’s just going to be [about] how we execute them.”

We’ll have to wait until February 12 to find out what Rihanna has up her designer sleeve for Super Bowl LVII. It airs live from Glendale, Arizona, on Fox.

Incubus announces tour dates with Coheed and Cambria

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Incubus is linking up with Coheed and Cambria for a trio of tour dates this spring.

The shows will take place May 23 in Wilmington, North Carolina, May 24 in Columbia, South Carolina, and May 26 in Rogers, Arkansas. Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 20, at 10 a.m. ET.

For all ticket info, visit IncubusHQ.com or CoheedandCambria.com.

Both Incubus and Coheed will also be performing at the 2023 Welcome to Rockville festival in Florida, while Brandon Boyd and company are lined up for Las Vegas’ Sick New World nu metal revival fest, as well.

Incubus’ most recent release is their 2020 EP Trust Fall (Side B), while Coheed dropped a new album, Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind, last June.

Sam Smith reveals their new era goes back to “how I was when I was younger”

January 19, 2023 by WDNY Radio

Sam Smith reveals the person we were first introduced to was not who they truly were. Instead, it marked a time when they tried to fit in.

Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, the singer says fans are now seeing a more authentic version of who they are.

Sam revealed they “wore all-female clothing and full makeup” through their teenage years and “was even more dressed up than I would be now.”

So, what changed?

“People would stare at me. I became exhausted with that,” the singer said, so they began “exploring a more masculine wardrobe and setting … It just so happened that as I started to explore that, my music started to get picked up.”

Sam acknowledges their debut album, The Lonely Hour, arrived at “a time when I wanted to take a break and fit in.” The singer is now reversing course with their next album, Gloria, because they “got fed up with fitting in and wanted to go back to how I was when I was younger.”

Gloria also marks an emotional turning point in Sam’s career, because they’re able “to express certain things” in their music, such as their sexuality and happiness. “Those themes were sometimes incredibly private and I felt more comfortable showing other sides of me,” Sam said of their initial decision to sing about yearning and heartache.

Sam noted the change of the direction is because “I was just sick of being heartbroken.”

Sam came out as non-binary and genderqueer in 2019, and is happy to be experimenting with fashion and makeup once again. The singer added, “Self-love is not a destination — it’s a daily commitment to accept yourself.”

Gloria is due out January 27.

+ More