Music

QUEEN’s Budapest Concert Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Newly Restored 4K Release

• Queen's restored 1986 Budapest concert film "Queen Budapest" hits cinemas 7 October.
• Marks 40th anniversary of first Western rock show behind the Iron Curtain.
• It's the last filmed Queen performance with Freddie Mercury.

Sony Music Vision has announced "Queen Budapest", a newly restored 4K cinema release marking the 40th anniversary of Queen's historic 1986 concert in Hungary, the first Western stadium rock show performed behind the Iron Curtain. The film, which captures the band's final filmed live performance with Freddie Mercury,…

UK recorded music exports hit record $1.05B in 2025, up just 0.8% YoY

• UK music exports hit record £800.3m in 2025, but growth slowed to 0.8%
• US remains top market; Coldplay most-streamed UK act globally
• BPI targets £1bn exports by 2030, citing rising international competition

UK recorded music exports reached a record £800.3 million ($1.05 billion) in 2025, according to figures from the BPI, but annual growth slowed sharply to just 0.8%. This matters because it signals that British artists are facing increasingly stiff international competition, both from established markets and from faster-growing…

“All These People Loved Me One Second Ago, and Now I’m Completely Lonely”: Tommy Lee on the Heartbreaking Reality of Being a Rock Star

• Tommy Lee describes crushing loneliness after concerts end
• Says touring means only seeing hotels, arenas and airports
• Comments made during interview with Dax Shepard

Rock drummer Tommy Lee has opened up about the isolating side of touring, describing how the adrenaline of performing for thousands of fans quickly gives way to profound loneliness once he returns to his hotel room. Speaking with Dax Shepard, the Mötley Crüe star explained that despite touring…

The Skinner Brothers – CHOP GOOEY (Official Music Video)

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The singer Paul McCartney always “intended” to build Wings around

• McCartney says Wings was always built around a small core line-up.
• Only he, Linda McCartney and Denny Laine remained constant members.
• Wings had frequent line-up changes but still achieved major success.

Paul McCartney has reflected on the formation of Wings, the band he built in the aftermath of The Beatles' split in 1970, explaining that its line-up was always designed around a small, consistent core rather than a fixed group of musicians. The remark offers insight into how McCartney…

Snapchat now lets you share what you’re listening to in real time

• Snapchat's "Now Playing" shows friends' real-time listening activity on Snap Map
• Launches with Spotify integration and privacy/pause controls
• Joins TikTok, Instagram and Spotify in social music-sharing features

Snapchat has introduced a new feature that allows users to share what they are listening to in real time, marking the app's latest push into music-driven social discovery. Called "Now Playing," the tool links to a user's streaming account and displays current listening activity on Snap Map, letting…

Laufey Signs With UTA in All Areas

• Laufey signs with UTA for global, all-areas representation
• Signing coincides with her world tour for "A Matter of Time"
• She has won two Grammys and multiple honours, including from Iceland's president

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Laufey has signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) for global representation across all areas, including live touring, media, film and brand partnerships. The move comes as the Icelandic-Chinese artist continues a major world tour in support of her chart-topping 2025 album "A Matter of Time", cementing…

The Alternative Number Ones: Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life”

• Column revisits Third Eye Blind's 1997 number one "Semi-Charmed Life"
• Song's upbeat sound obscured explicit lyrics about crystal meth
• Writer says he's reconsidering his long-held dislike of the track

Music writer Tom Breihan revisits Third Eye Blind's 1997 hit "Semi-Charmed Life" in his "Alternative Number Ones" column, which chronicles every number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks/Alternative Songs chart since 1988. He recalls hearing the song constantly as a 17-year-old working at a summer camp, and reflects…

Another Concert, Another Flying Phone: Morgan Wallen’s Reaction Says It All

• A fan's thrown phone hit Morgan Wallen in the shin at his Ann Arbor show.
• It is part of a pattern of similar phone-related incidents on his tour.
• He also pushed over a piano at a Denver concert this tour.

Country star Morgan Wallen has once again clashed with a fan over a phone thrown on stage, this time during a concert in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the device struck him in the shin. The incident is the latest in a string of similar flashpoints on his current…

Jamie Cullum, Grace Carter, Kara Marni Lead Audi Haven Line-Up At Wilderness 2026

• Jamie Cullum, Grace Carter and Kara Marni headline Audi Haven at Wilderness 2026
• Runs 30 July–2 August with music, talks, comedy and dining
• Chef Theo Randall's dining experiences given via prize draws, not bookings

The Audi Haven is returning to Wilderness Festival for 2026, with jazz musician Jamie Cullum, singer-songwriter Grace Carter and soul artist Kara Marni topping the music bill within the dedicated space. The retreat combines live performances, conversations and dining under the theme of exploring the power of sound,…