Rock News

Blues legend Buddy Guy celebrated his 89th birthday on Wednesday (July 30) by releasing his new album, Ain’t Done with the Blues. The two-disc set features 18 tracks of Chicago blues from the 8-time Grammy Award-winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and includes collaborations with fellow guitar greats Joe Bonamassa, Peter Frampton, and Joe Walsh, along with a song featuring guest vocals from The Blind Boys of Alabama. Ain’t Done With The Blues was executive produced by Tom Hambridge, and it marks Guy’s first full-length studio album since 2022’s The Blues Don’t Lie. Although Guy retired from extensive touring in 2024, he will hit the road in support of his new album with a brief, five-show tour in Arizona and California that runs from August 6 through August 13. (Consequence of Sound)

Paul Mario Day, the original vocalist of Iron Maiden and a notable figure in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, has died at 69. Recruited in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris, Day’s brief tenure with Iron Maiden lasted only ten months before he was replaced, due to concerns over his stage presence. “When I sang in Iron Maiden, it was a new pub band and nobody wanted to see or hear them,” Day later recalled. “We were all nobodys all trying to make the best music we could and fighting for an audience.” Though Day isn’t featured on any studio recordings with the group, the singer did claim that he co-wrote “Strange World,” which appeared on Maiden’s 1980 self-titled debut album. After Iron Maiden, Day fronted bands including More and Wildfire, before joining the reformed English glam rock band Sweet in 1985, alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker. “We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further,” Scott wrote in a tribute to Day, adding that his “vocal performance has stood the test of time” while expressing his “deepest condolences to his wife Cecily and family and friends. A sad day for all Sweet fans.” (Billboard)

In a new interview on the podcast But That 1% with Sona Oganesyan, drummer John Dolmayan explained what it would take for System of a Down to finally make their first new record in nearly 20 years. Suggesting that they would record in any of the band members’ home studios, Dolmayan added that under ideal circumstances, “We would work on a new System album with no rules. And I would say, ‘Serj [Tankian, lead vocalist] bring in all your songs first. Then Shavo [Odadjian, bassist], bring in all your riffs and songs next, and then Daron [Malakian, guitarist] bring all yours last. And then we would go in and make a new record.” SOAD haven’t released a new studio album since 2005’s Hypnotize, and Dolmayan says this approach would represent an “olive branch” from Malakian, indicating that the guitarist “care[s] about your songs more than I care about my own, and I’m gonna have you bring in yours first.” (Consequence of Sound)

Drummer Josh Freese's departure from the Foo Fighters was unexpected, but it has not derailed his career. Freese is set to rejoin Nine Inch Nails, whose current drummer, Ilan Rubin, will now join the Foo Fighters. This arrangement was not pre-planned, but it works out well for both bands. The Foo Fighters have officially named Rubin as their new drummer, while Nine Inch Nails has welcomed back Freese, who had previously played with the band from 2005 to 2008. Both bands are gearing up for major tours, with Nine Inch Nails kicking off their Peel It Back tour next month and the Foo Fighters embarking on an extensive road trip starting in October. (Thewrap)

Thousands of fans gathered in Birmingham, England, on Wednesday (July 30) to honor Ozzy Osbourne during the funeral procession for the heavy metal icon. Ozzy’s grieving family also made an emotional appearance, as his wife Sharon Osbourne and their children Jack, Kelly, and Aimee, took a moment to lay some flowers down at the massive fan memorial that fills Black Sabbath Bridge in the heart of the city. Led by the local brass band, Bostin’ Brass, who played a series of Black Sabbath and Ozzy classics like "Iron Man" and "Crazy Train," the procession saw Sharon overcome with tears as she was comforted by her children amid supportive cheers from fans. Ozzy, who died at the age of 76 on July 22 just 17 days after his memorable final performances at the Back to the Beginning benefit concert, will be laid to rest in a private funeral with details yet to be announced. (Consequence of Sound)

In an Instagram post shared over the weekend, Live Nation reports a 14% increase in “heavy rock” shows in 2025, with data also showing that metal now accounts for 13% of all arena and stadium concerts. These impressive figures signal a major resurgence of these genres within the live music industry. Rising bands like Bring Me the Horizon, Bad Omens, Pierce the Veil, Sleep Token, Ghost, Turnstile, and Falling in Reverse are all credited as being part of the younger generation of bands leading the rock revival. While veteran acts like Metallica, Korn, Deftones, Evanescence, Iron Maiden, and System of a Down are responsible for bringing large numbers of fans to festivals and filling stadiums, with many of these bands currently on tour or planning major outings. Live Nation also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, writing: “The genre wouldn’t exist without the legends. Ozzy Osbourne — The Prince of Darkness — didn’t just front Black Sabbath, he changed music forever. His legacy will live on in every riff.” (Consequence of Sound)

During Gavin Adcock’s performance at the Rock the Country festival in Anderson, South Carolina on Saturday night (July 26), the country singer launched a profanity-laden rant on stage after a confrontation with Nickelback’s sound guy. The incident began after the Nickelback crewmember (who headlined the festival along with Kid Rock) reportedly confronted Adcock’s father and the mom of his acoustic guitar player over a drink placed on the soundboard. In a viral TikTok video and a series of Instagram videos, Adcock accused the sound technician of causing trouble, leading the singer to get security to remove him from the venue. "My family had been standing there for 17 songs,” Adcock said in one clip. "You come up and get in my family’s face, trying to get my dad kicked out? And you know what, I got you kicked out.” Adcock still managed to enjoy the show, captioning his post: "Thanks to all the wild fans in South Carolina yesterday!! The set felt amazing🤙🏻🔥 Sorry we had to deal with that bum." (People)

Bad Company’s first official tribute album, Can't Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company, is slated to arrive on October 24. The 10-track collection features star-studded covers of their classic hits by artists including Slash with Myles Kennedy, Halestorm with Paul Rodgers, the Struts (whose cover of "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" is the first single shared from the project), Charley Crockett, and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen alongside Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke. “Bad Company was the background music of an important period in my youth,” said Slash in a press release. “They were such a great band, and a huge influence on me then and still are today.” The tribute album includes additional contributions from diverse artists like HARDY, Blackberry Smoke, Mastodon’s Brann Dailor, Dirty Honey, Black Stone Cherry, and The Pretty Reckless. The announcement of the tribute album comes one month after the death of the band’s co-founder/guitarist Mick Ralphs, and precedes Bad Company’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November as part of the 2025 class . (Consequence of Sound)

On Tuesday (July 29), David Gilmour announced the upcoming release of his concert film, Live at the Circus Maximus, Rome, which will premiere in cinemas and IMAX on September 17. The movie captures a performance from Gilmour’s brief 2024 Luck and Strange Tour, which featured sets that included his solo material alongside Pink Floyd classics. The concert film will also be released on a Blu-Ray/DVD/CD package on October 17, which will include a second film compiling 23 songs from the entire tour, The Luck and Strange Concerts, which will also be released on standalone 2-CD and 4-LP sets, along with a deluxe box set featuring multiple discs and memorabilia. To promote these releases, Gilmour has shared a live performance of “Sorrow” from the concert film. The Luck And Strange Tour marked Gilmour’s first run of shows since 2016, with the music legend sharing, “I can't wait for you to relive what were - as far as I'm concerned - the best concerts of my career.” (Rolling Stone)

Ozzy Osbourne will be honored with a funeral procession through his hometown of Birmingham, England, on Wednesday (July 30). Starting at 1 p.m., a hearse carrying the body of the heavy metal legend will travele through the streets of the city, and conclude at the Black Sabbath bridge and bench, a memorial site dedicated to him and his bandmates. The procession will feature music by local brass band Bostin’ Brass, with a live camera feed available for those unable to attend. Birmingham’s honorary Lord Mayor, Zafar Iqbal, called Osbourne, who died on July 22 at age 76, “more than a music legend — he was a son of Birmingham,” while adding, “it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute. We know how much this moment will mean to his fans.” The Osbourne family is helping cover the event costs, while details of Ozzy’s private funeral remain unannounced. (Rolling Stone)

Over the weekend, Paramore’s Hayley Williams surprised fans by releasing 17 new songs on her rudimentary website, accessible via a code linked to her Good Dye Young hair dye company. The tracks have a confessional, homemade charm to them, ranging from meditative tracks like “True Believer” and “BloodBros,” to edgy, inventive rockers like “IceInMyOJ” and “Hard.” It remains unclear if this unannounced collection serves as an official follow-up to Williams’ previous solo projects, 2020’s Petals for Armor and its 2021 sequel, Flowers for Vases/ Descansos. The site also includes miscellaneous extras like a 2017 live performance clip, lyric sheets, and a photo featuring a “Hayley Williams is my favorite band” T-shirt. This surprise drop follows last week’s Nashville public radio release of Williams’ new song, “Mirtazapine,” which she performed live for the first time with Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers at the Newport Folk Festival on Friday. (Billboard)

Representatives for Phil Collins confirmed that he is currently hospitalized while recovering from a recent knee surgery, while dispelling online rumors that the 74-year-old music legend was in hospice care. While the onetime Genesis member has faced significant health challenges over the years – including suffering significant nerve damage from a 2007 spinal surgery that has limited his mobility and drumming ability – he remains stable following the medical procedure, but his team shared that his hospital stay is not related to any terminal condition. Earlier this year, Collins expressed a waning desire to create music, while revealing, “The thing is, I’ve been sick. I mean very sick,” though he didn’t elaborate on what specifically was ailing him. During Genesis’ 2020 farewell shows, Collins focused on vocals while his son Nic took over for him on the drums, allowing fans to celebrate Phil and his music despite his ongoing physical struggles. (Rolling Stone)

On Monday (July 28), the Stray Cats announced the dates and details of their fall 2025 U.S tour, the band’s first live shows since frontman Brian Setzer’s autoimmune disease diagnosis. “The Stray Cats are back and ready to rock this fall!” the band captioned their tour announcement post. “Catch all three original members - Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker, and Slim Jim Phantom bring their signature rockabilly sound across the U.S. 💥” The 21-date jaunt kicks-off on October 25 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, followed by stops in cities including Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, with the tour concluding on November 23 in Wheatland, California. Despite Setzer’s February 2025 revelation that the condition affected his ability to play guitar, the 66-year-old musician reported gradual improvement while expressing hopes to tour the globe again soon. Ticket presale starts on Wednesday (July 29), followed by general on-sale beginning Friday (August 1). (Consequence of Sound)

On Friday (July 25), Pantera announced that they were postponing two upcoming shows, while cancelling three other dates on their summer U.S. tour in order to mourn the passing of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne. Following Ozzy’s death on July 22, Pantera dedicated their cover of Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” to him during their Cincinnati show that night. Pantera postponed concerts on July 28 in Saratoga Springs, NY, and July 31 in Holmdel, NJ, rescheduling them to September 8-9, while canceling shows in Gilford, NH (July 29), Birmingham, AL (September 8), and Virginia Beach, VA (September 10). Pantera guitarist Zakk Wylde was a longtime member of Ozzy’s solo band, with the band expressing how deeply personal the loss is: “Ozzy wasn’t just a legend who shaped the very foundation of heavy metal and inspired Pantera from the beginning — he was family. A mentor, a brother, and a constant presence in our lives both on and off the stage.” The tour is set to resume on August 2 in Mansfield, MA. (Consequence of Sound)

Paul Gallagher, the 59-year-old older brother of Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher, has been arrested and charged in the UK with multiple serious offenses. The charges against Gallagher include rape, coercive and controlling behaviour, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of making a threat to kill, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charges relate to a series of alleged incidents involving a woman between 2022 and 2024. Paul, a photographer who has also been listed as Oasis’ “Tour DJ” in the programme for their Live ‘25 reunion tour, is due to appear at a preliminary court hearing on August 27. Representatives for Oasis and the Gallagher brothers have yet to release an official statement on the situation. Meanwhile, Oasis kicked-off their five-night stand at London’s Wembley Stadium over the weekend, and have three more dates scheduled at the historic venue on July 30 and August 2-3. (Consequence of Sound)

Mammoth, led by Wolfgang Van Halen, has secured its third No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “The End,” which rises two places to reach the top spot this week. Following 2021’s chart-topping singles “Distance” and “Don’t Back Down,” the band has seen all of their entries reach the Top 10, including recent hits like “I’m Alright,” which peaked at No. 5 in January 2024. “The End” also climbed to No. 11 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, while debuting at No. 25 on Hot Hard Rock Songs, and No. 4 on Hard Rock Digital Song Sales tally. The song is the lead single and title track from their upcoming third album, The End, which will be released on October 24, and follows-up their 2023 album, Mammoth II, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart. Mammoth will be on the road through December, including opening dates for Creed as well as headlining shows with Myles Kennedy. (Billboard)

The Soundside Music Festival, scheduled for September 27-28 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been canceled “due to circumstances beyond our control," according to event organizers. The two-day fest was set to feature headliners The Killers, Weezer, Hozier, and Vampire Weekend, along with acts like Djo, Japanese Breakfast, the Backseat Lovers, Remi Wolf, Alex Warren, the Last Dinner Party, and more. Tickets will be refunded within about 30 days, though no further explanation for the cancellation has been provided. Originally launched in 2022 as Sound on Sound before being rebranded last year, the festival has faced challenges before, including Foo Fighters withdrawing in 2024 after lead singer Dave Grohl announced that he had recently fathered a child outside of his marriage, with Jack White and Greta Van Fleet eventually stepping into the headlining slot. Stevie Nicks, the Lumineers, and Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds served as headliners during the festival’s inaugural year. (Variety)

Twenty One Pilots score their 12th No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart with “The Contract,” which jumps two spots this week to reach the top spot. This marks the band’s second consecutive chart-topper, following the three-week reign of “The Line” back in February, and ties them with Foo Fighters for the fifth-most No. 1s since the chart’s creation in 1988. The song quickly rose to number one in only its seventh week – the duo’s fastest climb since the three week ascent of their 2021 hit, “Shy Away” – with the track also reaching a new peak at No. 8 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart. “The Contract” is the lead single from Twenty One Pilots’ upcoming eighth album, Breach, which is set for release September 12. The band’s previous album, Clancy, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums chart in June 2024, and produced two Alternative Airplay hits, “Overcompensate” and “The Craving,” which both peaked at No. 2 on the chart. (Billboard)

Following the airing of the second part of his And So It Goes documentary on Friday night (July 25), Billy Joel unveiled a massive 155-song, seven-hour companion playlist on digital streaming platforms. The collection features unreleased live recordings, demos, and outtakes spanning his career — from early days with the Hassles to orchestral works. Highlights include Joel’s first-ever live performance of “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” recorded on May 6, 1977 at Long Island’s C.W. Post College. The selections also include album tracks that are accompanied by personal song introductions, including the inspiration behind his 1979 Billboard Top 15 hit, “Big Shot.” The playlist on Joel’s YouTube channel also pairs tracks with live footage or his vintage music videos, offering fans a comprehensive musical journey that complements the intimate and endearing portrait presented in the documentary. (Rolling Stone)

Following a viral kiss-cam incident at Coldplay’s July 16 Boston concert featuring Astronomer executives Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot, the band’s on-demand audio streams surged 25%, rising from 28.7 million to 35.7 million in the five days after the controversy. While caught on the stadium big screen together, Byron awkwardly avoided the camera while Cabot covered her face, prompting frontman Chris Martin to comment from the stage, “Uh oh. Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.” Byron, who is married to someone else, resigned as CEO of Astronomer after backlash, with the company re-affirming its commitment to accountability amid the search for a new leader. To smooth over the controversy – and to poke fun at themselves after the incident – Astronomer named Martin’s ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, as the company’s “temporary spokesperson,” with the Oscar winner recording a humorous introductory video that aired on Friday night (July 25). (Hollywood Reporter)