Music news summaries — Page 5
Essential facts and source links for recent music stories.
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Dexys Midnight Runners' 'Love' may be their final album, Rowland says
Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland says the band's seventh album, Love, could be its last: he is not currently inspired to make another, though he is not ruling one out. A 2024 kidney crisis inspired “You’re Alright,” one of the album’s songs. -
Riot Fest's muddy Chicago finale features William Shatner's metal set
Riot Fest 2026 ended Sunday in Chicago after heavy rain left water pooled in Douglass Park, delaying gates by about three hours to 2 p.m. Around 50,000 fans crossed muddy grounds as sets were shortened; William Shatner was among the day's performers. -
Sugarland will play ‘Enjoy the Ride’ in full on its 20th-anniversary tour
Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush look back on making 2006’s Enjoy the Ride as the duo prepares for its Ride or Die Tour in October and November. The album brought them their first two No. 1 country hits and Grammy wins. -
Hayley Williams honors ex-husband Chad Gilbert after his death at 45
Paramore singer Hayley Williams posted an Instagram Stories tribute to ex-husband Chad Gilbert on Wednesday, three days after the New Found Glory guitarist died of brain cancer at 45. She said their time together taught her a lot and thanked him for his influence. -
Fans connect Taylor Swift’s clues to ‘Patient Zero’ and ‘The Encore’
Taylor Swift is set to release The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition featuring lead single “Patient Zero,” on Sept. 25. A clip with Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell debuted Sept. 24; fans link clues in “Opalite” and her Emmys sketch to both. -
Film of Ozzy Osbourne’s final Black Sabbath show opens Oct. 28
The trailer for “Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning” previews Osbourne’s final performance with the band, filmed at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5, 2025. The concert film opens worldwide for a limited cinema run on Oct. 28; Osbourne died 17 days later, aged 76. -
MTV’s VMA presenter lineup includes Charli xcx, Ciara Miller and ‘Off Campus’ stars
MTV has named Alex Warren, Charli xcx, Teyana Taylor, Tyla, Troye Sivan, ‘Off Campus’ actors Belmont Cameli and Ella Bright, Ciara Miller, Jeff Probst, David Corenswet, Isabel May and Rachel Dratch as presenters for the 2026 VMAs; Snoop Dogg will host. -
Six EPCOT sets will honor late New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert
New Found Glory announced six sets at Disney’s EPCOT on Sept. 28 and 29 to honor co-founder and guitarist Chad Gilbert, who died Sept. 20 after a years-long cancer journey. The band canceled its Aftershock Festival appearance to grieve. -
Brittany Mahomes reacts to Taylor Swift’s four-song ‘Showgirl’ expansion
Brittany Mahomes reposted Taylor Swift’s announcement on Instagram Stories Wednesday, Sept. 23, adding three heart-eyes emojis. Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” due Friday, Sept. 25, will feature four new songs, including “Patient Zero.” -
Maripol recalls critics calling Madonna’s 1984 VMAs bridal look ‘obscene’
At the first MTV VMAs in 1984, Madonna performed “Like a Virgin” in a bridal look styled by Maripol, descending from a giant wedding cake. Maripol recalled in 2024 that critics called it “obscene,” while young girls loved the outfit. -
U2’s Nov. 13 album will feature Dolly Parton’s final recorded duet with Bono
Dolly Parton’s final recorded vocal was a June duet with Bono, “Torn.” Bono said she got out of bed to record it while ill. It will close U2’s Carnaval De Luz, due Nov. 13; producer Garret “Jacknife” Lee said she approved the final mix before her death on Aug. 25. -
Taylor Swift previews ‘Patient Zero’ ahead of its VMAs video premiere
Taylor Swift’s Sept. 24 “Patient Zero” teaser showed her with minimal makeup, darker-brown bangs and a tear on her cheek. The single is due Sept. 25; its video, featuring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell, will premiere at the Sept. 27 MTV VMAs. -
Macklemore sets first three European dates for Free Palestine Tour
Macklemore announced the “Free Palestine Tour,” billed as “Macklemore and Friends,” with its first three shows in Dublin on Oct. 26, Paris on Oct. 29 and London on Oct. 30. All proceeds will benefit groups supporting Palestinians; U.S. dates are still to come. -
Sienna Spiro to make MTV VMAs performance debut as Best New Artist nominee
Sienna Spiro will make her MTV VMAs performance debut Sunday and is a Best New Artist nominee. “Great Expectation” recently became her first U.K. No. 1, making the 20-year-old the youngest English female artist to top the Official Singles Chart in 12 years. -
U2 sets Nov. 12 release for album with Parton duet described as her last vocal recording
U2’s first full-length album in nine years, “Carnaval De Luz,” is set for Nov. 12. Its closing track, “Torn,” is a Dolly Parton duet recorded in June and described in the announcement as her last recorded vocal performance; the band also released “Silencio.” -
Metallica’s self-titled album is fourth to reach 850 weeks on Billboard 200
Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album has spent 850 weeks on the Billboard 200, becoming only the fourth release to reach that mark. It rose from No. 165 to No. 153 on this week’s U.S. chart, which ranks albums and EPs using sales and streaming. -
Greylan James once got haircuts from Kenny Chesney’s mom and will tour with him in 2027
Kenny Chesney says his mother used to cut Greylan James’ hair when James was a child in East Tennessee. James, now a songwriter for Chesney, will join him on the 2027 Original Vibe Room Tour, alongside Sheryl Crow and Eric Church. -
Quiet Riot brings 23-year-old John Torra in as lead singer for tour return
Quiet Riot has named 23-year-old Long Island vocalist John Torra as its new lead singer, replacing Jizzy Pearl, whose final show with the band was Sept. 18. Torra joins Rudy Sarzo, Alex Grossi and Johnny Kelly as the band resumes touring next month. -
Shawn Mendes’ ‘Stitches’ reaches 11-times platinum, his first diamond hit
Shawn Mendes’ “Stitches” has earned RIAA 11-times-platinum certification, representing at least 11 million U.S. units and his first diamond-level hit. “Treat You Better” and “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” are each nine-times platinum. -
Macklemore’s three-city ‘Free Palestine’ tour will send all proceeds to 12 organizations
Macklemore’s three-show “Free Palestine” tour will stop in Dublin on Oct. 26, Paris on Oct. 29 and London on Oct. 30. All proceeds will benefit 12 organizations, including Anera, UNRWA USA and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. -
Ella Langley’s 23 weeks at No. 1 move her past Mariah Carey on the Hot 100
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” now holds the Billboard Hot 100 record with 23 weeks at No. 1, one more than Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Carey could retake the mark this holiday season, but may need more than one Christmas to catch up. -
Carly Rae Jepsen explains how 'Heated Rivalry' inspired son Ilya's name
Carly Rae Jepsen says watching “Heated Rivalry” during pregnancy inspired the name Ilya for her son: her husband, music producer Cole M.G.N., walked in as she watched and agreed it was beautiful. The couple welcomed their first child, Ilya Blue, in March. -
Karol G’s ‘Bby Wow’ holds Global 200 No. 1 with about 2,000 downloads
Karol G, Judeline and Rusowsky’s “Bby Wow” held the Billboard Global 200’s No. 1 spot for a third week, with about 2,000 downloads sold worldwide, up 22% from the prior tracking period. The chart excludes radio, and streaming is doing nearly all the work. -
Shreya Ghoshal spotlights Indian crafts on sold-out North American tour
Shreya Ghoshal’s sold-out Unstoppable tour across North America features traditional Indian textiles, with no look repeated. One Kalamkari panel in her wardrobe took Andhra Pradesh artisan Ganga 25 days to hand-paint using natural dyes. -
Macklemore’s Red Rocks resale tickets start at $220 after Sheeran tour exit
Resale tickets for Macklemore’s Oct. 22 solo show at Colorado’s Red Rocks start at $220 for general admission; Ticketmaster lists only resale tickets. Demand surged following the controversy, while tickets for Ed Sheeran’s Philadelphia show were available for $68. -
Four editions of Miley Cyrus’s ‘Bass Persuades’ rank in U.S. iTunes top 10
At the time of Forbes’ report, four editions of Miley Cyrus’s album “Bass Persuades” were in the U.S. iTunes Top Albums chart’s top 10, led by The Miley Edition at No. 4. Released Sept. 18, the album had yet to make its Billboard 200 debut.
