Music

With 2021 now in the rear-view mirror, let’s look ahead to some new rock albums that will be released in 2022.

The new year will kick off with the arrival of The Lumineers‘ Brightside on January 14, along with Underoath‘s Voyeurist and The Wombats‘ Fix Yourself, Not the World.

Releases scheduled for February include Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators‘ 4; Bastille‘s Give Me the Future and Korn‘s Requiem on February 4; Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder‘s solo record Earthling on February 11; and Guns N’ Roses‘ Hard Skool EP on February 25.

Later in 2022, we’ll be getting not one, but two new Jack White solo albums: Fear of the Dawn on April 8, and Entering Heaven Alive on July 22.

Meanwhile, Machine Gun Kelly is set to release Born with Horns, his follow-up to 2020’s Travis Barker-produced Tickets to My Downfall, sometime this year.

Other artists who are expected to release albums this year include Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Shinedown, Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold and Papa Roach.

Osbourne’s as-yet-untitled album, which is expected out around springtime, will include contributions from his Black Sabbath band mate Tony Iommi, plus Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and other guest stars.

Here’s a list of notable confirmed and expected releases for 2022:

1/14:
The Lumineers, Brightside
Underoath, Voyeurist
The Wombats, Fix Yourself, Not the World

2/4:
Bastille, Give Me the Future
Korn, Requiem
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, 4

2/11:
Alt-J, The Dream
Eddie Vedder, Earthling
Spoon, Lucifer of the Sofa

2/25:
Guns N’ Roses, Hard Skool EP

3/25:
Various Artists, Legacy: A Tribute to Leslie West (featuring Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dee Snider, Martin Barre, Joe Lynn Turner, Elliot Easton, Robby Krieger & others)

4/8:
Jack White, Fear of the Dawn
Wet Leg, Wet Leg

4/15:
Fozzy, Boombox

5/27:
Liam Gallagher, C’mon You Know

7/22:
Jack White, Entering Heaven Alive

Unconfirmed or details not yet announced:

Brandon Boyd, Echoes and Cocoons
Machine Gun Kelly, Born with Horns
Megadeth, The Sick, the Dying and the Dead
Arctic Monkeys — TBA
Avenged Sevenfold — TBA
Ozzy Osbourne — TBA
Papa Roach — TBA
Shinedown — TBA

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Seems like the trend of legendary artists selling their catalogs for millions is continuing into 2022.

Warner Chappell Music and the estate of David Bowie announced Monday that WCM has purchased the music publishing rights to Bowie’s entire catalog.  That includes all of the songs from the 26 studio albums released during his lifetime, plus his posthumous release, Toy, due out on Friday.

The catalog includes such timeless classics as “Heroes,” Ziggy Stardust,” “Let’s Dance,” “Changes,” “A Space Oddity,” “Rebel Rebel” and more. Bowie’s two studio albums with the band Tin Machine are also included in the deal, as are songs he recorded for soundtracks and other projects, like his Queen collaboration “Under Pressure.”

Variety puts the price of the catalog at $250 million.

In a statement, WCM CEO and Co-Chair Guy Moot said, “These are not only extraordinary songs, but milestones that have changed the course of modern music forever…We are looking forward to tending his unparalleled body of songs with passion and care as we strive to build on the legacy of this most extraordinary human being.”

What would have been Bowie’s 75th birthday is this Saturday, amid a campaign that includes pop-up stores in New York City and London, the release of the Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) box set, and a virtual charity tribute concert that will feature performances by Def Leppard, Duran Duran‘s Simon Le Bon and John Taylor, Living Colour, Rob Thomas, WALK THE MOON, and actors Gary Oldman and Evan Rachel Wood, among others.

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27 years after Elton John first received the honor, his long-term musical partner Bernie Taupin has been honored by Queen Elizabeth II with the same prestigious award.

In the queen’s annual New Year’s honors list, Bernie was made a CBE — Commander of the Order of the British Empire — in recognition of his “exceptional services to music.”  A CBE is one step below a knighthood. Elton was made a CBE in 1995, and was subsequently knighted in 1998, which why he’s now called Sir Elton John.

“Congratulations to my lyricist extraordinaire on his C.B.E that was announced today!” Elton wrote on Instagram. “I love you and you so deserve this recognition.”  In the comments, Bernie replied “Thanks my darling friend. It’s all a bit ironic isn’t it.”

Other music legends who are CBEs include Queen‘s Brian May, Led Zeppelin‘s Robert Plant, Sting and the Bee Gees.

Meanwhile, Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice of the Spice Girls, was made an MBE — a Member of the Order of the British Empire.  However, she wasn’t honored for her music, but for her work with Women’s Aid, a charity that helps “vulnerable women,” specifically victims of domestic violence.

Other pop stars who’ve received MBEs include Ed Sheeran, Adele and The Beatles.

 

 

 

 

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Tom DeLonge is set to make his feature film directorial debut with Monsters of California. Speaking with ABC Audio, the Angels & Airwaves frontman and former Blink-182 guitarist shares that he’s “so proud” of the upcoming movie.

“I think people are gonna love it,” DeLonge says. “I think people are gonna be kinda blown away by what we’ve pulled off on such a micro budget.

From a story perspective, DeLonge describes Monsters of California as a “really honest reflection of who I am.”

“It’s skateboarders in San Diego, the paranormal, a lot of d*** jokes, but with a really big philosophical ending about life and what it’s all about,” DeLonge says. “I’m really proud that it hits all those marks in a really great, Amblin kind of adventure.”

The release date for Monsters of California has yet to be announced, though it’s expected to premiere sometime this year. In a recent Instagram post, DeLonge teased the size of the titular Monsters with a photo of a giant footprint.

 

 

 

 

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Katy Perry kicked off her Las Vegas residency PLAY at Resorts World on Thursday night, with dates for it scheduled through March.  Katy recently told ABC News that one thing that attracted her to doing a residency is that it allows her to literally “do it all:” be a pop star and spend plenty of time with her daughter, Daisy Dove.

“Coming to Vegas means I also still get to be a mother and drop my daughter off at preschool in the future,” Katy told ABC News. “And I will still go and tour the world in a couple of years, for sure. But I think the first three years of a child’s life is really important — just making sure their foundation is great.”

“I just want to be able to do both, do it all,” she added. “Because for 12 years, I have definitely put all of my energy into [my work] and now I’m just finding that balance.”

Katy also revealed that performing in Las Vegas was “always a part of my long-time goals.”  And though she technically doesn’t have to take on such a huge project on top of her other ventures — like judging American Idol, for example — she didn’t want to give up the chance to perform for her fans.

“I feel joy when I get to be on stage and sing together with other people who find joy in my songs and find empowerment,” she explained.

“Music is a real powerful tool to get us through some of the worst times in our life or empower us,” Katy added. “And I think there’s still so much joy and empowerment and hope and love to spread onstage.”

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Darius Rucker doesn’t hesitate at all when asked to consider the best moments of the past year.

“The highlight of 2021 was getting back on the road,” the Hootie & the Blowfish frontman tells ABC Audio. “You know, after being off for almost two years, actually going out and playing shows again was definitely the highlight of this year.”

In February, the South Carolina native is set to launch his Darius Rucker Live tour of iconic, intimate theaters, building on the intensity he felt from audiences in 2021.

“The fans have always been great, and my shows have always been fun parties and everything,” he explains. “But it just seems like it’s a whole new level now.”

“Everybody’s there to have fun from the first note to the last,” Darius continues. “And you could just tell people were so glad to be back out there seeing shows and being a part of that that, they just want to soak it all in.”

“So, yeah, the fan enthusiasm’s definitely up,” he adds. 

2021 also found Darius topping the charts with his tenth solo number one, “Beers and Sunshine,” which he followed with “My Masterpiece.” Both are from his follow-up to 2017’s When Was the Last Time, which should arrive sometime in 2022.

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