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RRHOF 2025: Spotlight on Warren Zevon

November 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

After 30 years of eligibility, and one previous nomination, the late Warren Zevon is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Saturday in the Musical Influence category.

Zevon is best known for such songs as “Werewolves of London” and “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” as well as “Keep Me In Your Heart,” from his 12th and final studio album, The Wind. It was released in August 2003, just weeks before his Sept. 7 death at 56.

Zevon also wrote songs that were recorded by other artists, including Linda Ronstadt, who covered tunes like “Hasten Down the Wind” and “Poor Poor Pitiful Me.”

While “Werewolves of London” was Zevon’s only top-40 hit, he had a devoted fanbase. In fact, Billy Joel wrote a letter to the Rock Hall in support of Zevon in 2023, before his first nomination.

“I just wanted to put in my two cents of supporting Warren Zevon to be included,” Joel told the Los Angeles Times in 2023. “If anyone deserved to be, he did. He was a real original, and I don’t know if that’s appreciated enough.”

That same year, the Rock Hall’s Jason Hanley told ABC Audio why Zevon deserved the recognition, saying “people loved his music,” and that he “influenced so many other artists and songwriters over the years.”

After revealing he had been diagnosed with cancer, Zevon said his emotional goodbye to the public during an October 2003 appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, where he was the sole guest and musical performer. Letterman, a well-known Zevon fan, is scheduled to appear at Saturday’s induction, so there’s a good chance he’ll take part in the artist’s tribute.

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Saturday in Los Angeles and will stream live on Disney+ starting at 8 p.m. ET. ABC will also air a highlights special on Jan. 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Badflower’s Josh Katz wants you to ‘gimme a Grammy nod,’ but what would he do if he won?

November 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

On Badflower‘s song “Number 1,” a track off the band’s new album, No Place Like Home, frontman Josh Katz sings, “Gimme a Grammy nod.” That begs the question: What would Katz do if he actually won a Grammy?

“I might quit music if I won a Grammy,” Katz tells ABC Audio.

He laughs, “I’ve been trying to quit this band for a long time.”

Katz then clarifies that he doesn’t actually want to quit Badflower, but notes, “I’ve been in-and-out of these crazy depressive episodes being in my mid-30s and sober and having all kinds of life things happen that I didn’t expect.”

“I’ve just been going in-and-out of these moods,” Katz says. “But the one thing that’s really keeping me here is, like, I haven’t won a Grammy yet, and that was the thing that I really wanted when I was a kid.”

Beyond whether he would quit music if he won a Grammy, Katz has mixed feelings about what getting one would actually mean to him personally.

“Part of me really wants the Grammy, obviously, still,” Katz says. “But then another part of me is, like, ‘Maybe if I never get the Grammy I’ll have a happy, successful career.’ But if I get the Grammy, like, then what?”

Even if Badflower never wins a Grammy, the band’s success has already exceeded Katz’s expectations.

“I never thought I’d be platinum!” Katz says, referring to Badflower’s breakout song, “Ghost.” “Like, a platinum song is crazy.”

The nominations for the 2026 Grammys will be announced Friday at 11 a.m. ET. The awards will take place Feb. 1.

If Badflower is still together, they’ll launch a U.S. tour on Feb. 10.

G Herbo says ‘Power’ universe was big for hip-hop culture

November 3, 2025 by WDNY Radio

G Herbo is a fan of the Power universe. In an interview with Angela Yee for XXL, he shared that the original series and its spinoffs have been beneficial to the culture of hip-hop and more generally, Black culture.

“The Power series was just big for the culture with how captivating it was where everybody was just so invested into the series and the characters and stuff,” Herbo says, noting he’s always eager to return home and “watch all the different spinoffs” whenever he is “on the road.”

“For hip-hop, it just gave us all something to like do, rap about, like metaphorically, saying songs or putting stuff in your lyrics about Ghost character, Tommy character or Kanan character, Tariq,” Herbo continues, adding that many artists have drawn inspiration for their music and art from shows in the Power universe.

“I feel like it was definitely important for hip-hop just to have that,” Herbo concludes.

The Power spinoff Power Book IV: Force, which is based in Herbo’s hometown of Chicago, returns Nov. 7 on Starz. Starring Joseph Sikora and Isaac Keys as Tommy Egan and Diamond Sampson, this season will mark the third and final one of the series.

The Funeral Portrait announces ’Live from Suffocate City’ live album + concert film

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The Funeral Portrait has announced a new live album and concert film, Live from Suffocate City.

The set was recorded during the “Holy Water” rockers’ hometown show in Atlanta, dubbed the Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting.

Live from Suffocate City is due out Jan. 16, 2026. You can watch the performance of the song “Voodoo Doll” streaming on YouTube.

“‘Voodoo Doll’ is about the pain of watching someone you love disappear into addiction, that helplessness of trying to save them when they don’t want to be saved,” says frontman Lee Jennings. “Performing it live at the first Suffocate City Town Hall hit differently; you could feel every word echo back from the crowd. This live video that’s taken from our Blu-ray captures that raw emotion exactly how it felt that night.”

The Funeral Portrait’s most recent studio album is 2024’s Greetings from Suffocate City. A deluxe version dropped in June.

Big Grams reunion: Phantogram releases new version of ‘Move in Silence’ with Big Boi

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Big Grams are back, at least for one song.

Phantogram has released a new version of their track “Move in Silence” featuring Outkast rapper Big Boi. The updated recording is included on the deluxe version of Phantogram’s latest album, Memory of a Day, out now.

The “Fall in Love” outfit previously teamed up with Big Boi as Big Grams for a joint EP released in 2015.

The original Memory of a Day dropped in 2024. It also includes the single “Come Alive.”

Outkast, meanwhile, is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 8. Other inductees include The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Chubby Checker and Cyndi Lauper.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

Mary J. Blige on fans dressing up as her on Halloween: ‘It says I’m a household name’

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Mary J. Blige says fans dressing up as her on Halloween is proof that she’s a household name. She tells People she looks forward to seeing the Mary J. costumes for that very reason.

“I love it so much because it says, you know, I’m a household name,” Mary says. “When we were kids, we wanted to be Wonder Woman, you know what I mean?”

“Me and my sister used to fight over who’s gonna be the guy in [KISS] with the tongue hanging out his mouth,” she continues. “Now, people are fighting over who’s gonna be Mary J. Blige for Halloween. I love that.”

The costumes are an expression of the love and support Mary has gotten over the years from her fans, to whom she dedicated her recent For My Fans tour. “I named it the For My Fans Tour because in all the Mary J. Blige concerts, it’s really about the fans,” she tells People. “If it wasn’t for them, there would be none of this.”

“It’s all about their reaction to the music that, you know, I’ve been putting out for years and just how much they love and support me — and as you can see, they don’t miss a beat,” Blige goes on. “Like, sometimes I don’t even have to sing that much.”

Footage from the For My Fans tour stop in Madison Square Garden will soon be available as a concert film. Mary J. Blige: For My Fans will play in movie theaters Nov. 5 through Nov. 8. Tickets are now on sale.

Writer/director Cameron Crowe gives update on Joni Mitchell biopic

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Writer/director Cameron Crowe has offered an update on his long-in-the works biopic on Joni Mitchell.

Crowe, whose memoir The Uncool came out Tuesday, has been attached to the project since 2023 and tells Variety he’s still “working on” it.

“We’re gonna do it next year. And I just feel really confident that we are telling that story in a way that you wouldn’t call a traditional so-called biopic,” he explains. “It’s the telling of her story with amazing input from the artist herself, who is opening her life, her closet, her collection of instruments, her notes, her everything for us to make a movie that is as emotionally authentic as her music.”

He adds, “I just feel really lucky to have spent the last few years finding the way to tell the story that will give you a physical body rush as well as loving her story. … I can’t wait for you to check it out.”

While there have been all sorts of rumors about who’ll play Joni, Crowe says as of now there’s “nothing I can confirm.” But he adds, “I’m just grateful that people are talking about it and that I get to tell the story.”

The movie will be the first one Crowe has written and directed since 2015’s Aloha, although he created the 2016 Showtime series Roadies and directed the 2019 David Crosby documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name.

Nashville notes: Darius Rucker rocks ‘Cologne’ + War and Treaty revives ‘Whiskey River’

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

You can hear The War and Treaty‘s take on Willie Nelson‘s 1978 hit “Whiskey River” in a new live version recorded at Willie’s ranch in Luck, Texas, during the 2023 Luck Reunion.

“Next Thing You Know” singer/songwriter Greylan James has just released “Give Me a Second (the before),” which is the prequel to “Water at a Wedding,” which came out in July.

Howl Owl Howl, the band made up of Darius Rucker, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and former The Black Keys drummer Steve Gorman, has just put out their first original song, “My Cologne.” Their tour kicks off Nov. 3 in Indianapolis and wraps Nov. 15 in Atlanta.

For they will chart: The Pretty Reckless returns to #1 on ’Billboard’ Mainstream Rock Airplay

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The Pretty Reckless has returned to #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with their latest single, “For I Am Death.”

“For I Am Death” gives Taylor Momsen and company their fourth-straight chart-topper on Mainstream Rock Airplay, following “Death By Rock and Roll,” “And So It Went” and “Only Love Can Save Me Now,” all singles from the band’s most recent album, 2021’s Death By Rock and Roll.

The Pretty Reckless have now racked up two four-straight #1 streaks — they previously notched four in a row with “Heaven Knows,” “Messed Up World,” “Follow Me Down” and “Take Me Down.”

In total, The Pretty Reckless has conquered Mainstream Rock Airplay eight times. That breaks a tie with Halestorm for the most #1s on the chart by a female-fronted band.

“For I Am Death” premiered in August. Outside of that song, The Pretty Reckless just released a new holiday EP on Friday, which features Momsen revisiting the song she sang as a child actress in 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie.

You can also catch Momsen perform in honor of Soundgarden at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, streaming live Nov. 8 on Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Halloween 2025: Looks from Megan Thee Stallion, Coco Jones, Taraji P. Henson and more

October 31, 2025 by WDNY Radio

The spooky holiday has arrived, and celebrities have been dressing up in costumes to celebrate.

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion posted a series of photos of her as Choso from the Manga show Jujutsu Kaisen, complete with the animated background.

Coco Jones paid homage to The Dreamettes from the 2006 film Dreamgirls. She reenacted Deena, Effie and Lorrell’s performance of “We’re Your Dreamgirls,” wearing a gown and glove similar those worn by Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose in the scene. She also posed as the women in a reimagined Dreamgirls movie poster.

Lizzo dressed up as melted cheese in a post tagging the restaurant Chili’s. Her caption read, “Halloween is so cheesy.”

Taraji P. Henson tapped into her acting bag, recreating Janet Jackson‘s look from the “Got Til It’s Gone” music video. Keke Palmer also paid homage to some recording artists, as she and son Leodis dressed up as Snoop Dogg and Lil’ Bow Wow, respectively. She also recreated a scene from Honey, taking on Jessica Alba‘s role, Honey Daniels.

Flo Milli showed off two coordinating costumes with her son, one of which was Luigi and Mario. In the other, she dressed as Daphne while her baby was Scooby Doo.

Halle Bailey‘s costume was inspired by Lisa Bonet‘s May 1988 cover of Rolling Stone. Janelle Monáe showed off several looks, including The Cat in the Hat, and Winnie Harlow paid homage to the late Whitney Houston. She also decided to tap into a joke, dressing up as Neapolitan ice cream. “Since yall always say I look like Neapolitan Ice Cream, I guess you’re right,” she wrote on Instagram.

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