Music

We now know what Linkin Park was teasing.

After posting a video on Wednesday, October 5, featuring a flickering LP logo and the initials of vocalist Mike Shinoda, the “Numb” rockers have announced a new collaboration with the virtual reality game Beat Saber.

In Beat Saber, players use virtual blades to slice blocks to the rhythm of a particular song. The new Linkin Park pack, which is available now, features the band’s hit “Crawling” as well as the upcoming Shinoda solo single, “Already Over.”

Teaming up with Beat Saber marks a rare bit of news from Linkin Park, whose future has remained uncertain following the death of frontman Chester Bennington and their tribute concert to him later that year. The group has been a bit more active in 2023, though, while celebrating the 20th anniversary of their 2003 album Meteora with a deluxe reissue, which features the unearthed single “Lost.”

Shinoda’s “Already Over” is set to be officially released on Friday, October 6.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

After popping into various schools in Los Angeles and New York over the past few weeks, Ed Sheeran went back to where it all began: his own high school.

On Instagram, Ed posted footage of himself visiting his alma mater — Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk, U.K. — to give a performance in the school auditorium, watch the soccer team play and teach a music class. “This is a cool full circle moment,” he said in the video.

Ed’s been back home for a few days: He also posted footage of himself serving beer at the local sports venue and cheering on his home soccer team, Ipswich Town, to victory. After the game, all the players serenaded Ed in the locker room with his song “Perfect.” You can see that in Ed’s footage as well.

In other Ed news, he teamed up with Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker to co-write a song for Darius’ latest country album, Carolyn’s Boy. The song’s called “Sara,” and it’s about Darius’ first love: his fifth-grade girlfriend, Sara.

“Writing that song was so fun because Ed is such an amazing songwriter,” Darius tells People. “But to write a song that’s literally about your fifth-grade girlfriend who you haven’t seen in 40 years, it was an experience.”  Darius says he’d love to see Sara again, but he has no idea where she is or if she’s married.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Shortly after Pastor Mike Todd penned the last sentence of his new book Damaged but Not Destroyed, “spit hit the fan.”

He had led what turned into an unusually viral sermon where, in an effort to help visualize a biblical verse, he smeared spit from his mouth onto his brother’s face.

The unexpected moment was met with harsh criticism from people across the internet, but while many thought they’d be witnessing Pastor Todd’s demise, he knew the discomfort would last only for a short while.

And that’s one of the many messages from Damaged but Not Destroyed, the popular speaker’s follow-up to not one but two New York Times Best Sellers.

Pastor Todd told ABC Audio his mission with writing the book — a novel he expressed to God wasn’t the “sexy” next project he initially had in mind — is to help people understand “how to not let your trauma define you, but let that trauma turn into triumph in your life.”

“It was to show people how to take bad situations, hurtful situations, damaging things in other people’s mind, and use them to be able to propel you towards destiny,” he said.

His series of theology-based guides grew out of his long desire and calling to help his generation by way of ministry and testimony.

“I started to think about all the dumb stuff I did and I started to think about all the moments where I wish somebody would have been real with me,” he said.

So, Pastor Todd became the example he’d once wish for and began writing his “real talk,” “no speculation” books. 

While there may be a long list of key messages from his latest publication, the main takeaway Pastor Todd would like readers to gain: “What’s not transformed is transferred.“

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The White Stripes‘ 2003 concert in Las Vegas is being released as a live album through Jack White‘s Third Man Records Vault subscription service.

Live in Las Vegas consists of 31 remastered songs, spread across three vinyl LPs: one red, one black and one white.

The package also includes a bonus seven-inch single featuring the 2002 live debut of the Stripes tune “Ball and Biscuit” as well as Jack’s 2004 collaborative performance of the song alongside Bob Dylan.

To get your copy of Live in Las Vegas, you’ll need to sign up for the Third Man Vault before October 31 at midnight CT. For more info, visit ThirdManRecords.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Carly Pearce took The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon‘s performance stage on October 4 to perform her latest song, “Country Music Made Me Do It.”

Carly donned a black top and leopard print skirt as she jubilantly performed the track alongside her band.

“Country music made me do it/ Got me drunk and got me through it/ A little heartbreak eighty proof/ Over three chords and the truth/ Out of a small town into a ballgown/ Picking me up every time that I fall down/ Everything that I’ve done wrong or I’ve done right/ Oh, country music made me do it/ And I’ll do it ’til I die,” she sings in the confessional chorus.

“‘Country Music Made Me Do It’ is the essence of this next chapter for me,” says Carly, who co-authored the tune with Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally. “I wrote this song as an autobiographical anthem, but I can’t wait to hear the ways YOUR story has been influenced by country music.”

“Country Music Made Me Do It” serves as a preview of Carly’s upcoming album and follows the Chris Stapleton-featured single, “We Don’t Fight Anymore.”

Carly’s Country Music Made Me Do It Tour kicks off Thursday, October 5, in New York. For tickets and the full tour schedule, visit carlypearce.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ally Brooke has taken to social media to clarify that Fifth Harmony is not reuniting, despite what she said in a recent interview.

Speaking to E! News, Ally said that she “100 percent” sees herself getting back together with the group in the future. When asked if a reunion would happen “sooner than we’d think,” Ally said, “We may be working on something.”  

The news sent fans into a frenzy because the group hasn’t done anything since 2018, when Ally, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jauregui and Normani said they were putting Fifth Harmony on hold to focus on solo projects. Camila Cabello had previously left in 2016.

But, Ally cautioned fans to slow their roll.

“I’m thrilled to see there’s a lot of interest surrounding Fifth Harmony,” she wrote on social media. “‘Reunion’ has many meanings and while there’s no official band reunion happening at the moment, some beautiful friendships and relationships are slowly reuniting in a healing and empowering way.”

Ally told ABC Audio this week that she and Dinah Jane were back in touch after seeing each other for the first time in five years at an event in August, and that she and Dinah planned to reach out to Lauren.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Billy Joel has racked up yet another milestone in his ongoing residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The Piano Man has just announced the 100th monthly show of the residency, which began in January of 2014. The show will take place March 28, 2024. Citi cardmembers can get tickets starting Monday, October 9, at 10 a.m ET via citientertainment.com. The general onsale date is Friday, October 13, at 10 a.m. via ticketmaster.com.

As previously reported, Billy will conclude his residency in July of 2024 with his 150th lifetime show at the Garden.

Meanwhile, Billy recently announced a show at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on January 24, 2024. It’ll be his first show in Japan since 2008.

On October 7, Billy and Stevie Nicks will perform together at M&T Bank Stadium as part of their off-and-on co-headlining tour. He’ll be back at the Garden on October 20.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Blink-182 has premiered a new song called “DANCE WITH ME,” a track off the band’s upcoming comeback album, ONE MORE TIME…

The track, available now via digital outlets, is accompanied by a video featuring Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker dressed up as the Ramones. You can watch that streaming now on YouTube.

“DANCE WITH ME” follows the previously released ONE MORE TIME… cuts “EDGING,” “MORE THAN YOU KNOW” and the title track. The album will arrive in full on October 20.

ONE MORE TIME… marks the first Blink album featuring the classic lineup of DeLonge, Hoppus and Barker in over 10 years. DeLonge rejoined the band in 2022 after a seven-year absence.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.